Moscow, November 15, 2024 — The Europe Today: The Russian Foreign Ministry has strongly criticized Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), following his recent comments regarding the agency’s mission at the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant (NPP). Grossi stated in an interview with dpa news agency that the IAEA’s permanent mission at the plant would remain until there is a reduction in conflict, potentially including a ceasefire or frozen conflict.
The Zaporozhye NPP, Europe’s largest nuclear facility, has been under Russian control since March 2022, with the region later officially joining Russia alongside Kherson Region, Donetsk, and Lugansk People’s Republics in the fall of the same year. Throughout the ongoing conflict, both Moscow and Kiev have blamed each other for shelling near the nuclear facility, raising concerns over its safety and stability.
The IAEA has maintained a permanent mission at the plant since September 2022 to oversee nuclear safety and security. Grossi’s remarks on the mission’s continued presence during ongoing conflict phases were met with strong disapproval from Russia. In a statement released on Thursday, the Russian Foreign Ministry described the IAEA director’s comments as “unacceptable” and “beyond the scope” of his authority.
“It is completely inexplicable on what basis the IAEA leadership is taking it upon itself to judge the prospects of the notorious ‘freeze,’ which is clearly beyond its authority,” the ministry asserted through its official Telegram channel. Russia emphasized that the IAEA’s presence at the Zaporozhye NPP is contingent on Russian consent and is limited to monitoring safety and security.
Furthermore, the ministry called attention to what it claimed were recent artillery shelling and drone attacks by Ukrainian forces on the city of Energodar, where many NPP employees reside, leading to civilian casualties. The ministry urged Grossi to present the situation accurately and to avoid exceeding his official mandate.
This rebuke from Moscow highlights the ongoing complexities and sensitivities surrounding the international oversight of the Zaporozhye NPP amid the conflict, with each side wary of misrepresentation and escalation.
