According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, both sites have already been inspected before. One of the objects was last inspected only a month ago.
Anna Näveri,
Kai Jääskeläinen
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) says it is sending its observers to two nuclear facilities to which Russia has linked its claims of planning a dirty nuclear bomb.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu claimed on Sunday that Ukraine was preparing to use a radioactive, so-called dirty bomb on its own soil. Western countries and Ukraine rejected the claims.
Also the Secretary General of the military alliance NATO Jens Stoltenberg said on Monday that NATO dismissed Russia’s claims as baseless. Stoltenberg also warned Russia against using the allegations as a pretext for using chemical or biological weapons in Ukraine.
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba tells On Twitter (you will switch to another service) that he made an official request for an urgent visit by observers to the IAEA Secretary General For Rafael Grossi.
– We have nothing to hide, Kuleba writes.
Grossi tells In the announcement published on the IAEA website (you will switch to another service) organization to be aware of Russia’s alleged “activity at two nuclear facilities” in Ukraine.
According to Gross, observers visit both sites regularly.
According to Gross, the IAEA inspected one of the sites a month ago and all findings were in line with Ukraine’s nuclear safeguards.
– No undeclared nuclear activity or material was found there, says Grossi.
According to Gross, the IAEA is preparing to visit the nuclear facilities in the next few days.
Russia will raise its claims in the UN Security Council
Russia plans to raise its claims about Ukraine’s dirty bomb at the UN Security Council meeting on Tuesday, reports news agency Reuters.
Russia’s ambassador to the UN Vasili Nebenzja has urged the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres to do everything possible to prevent Ukraine from committing a “horrific crime” with the alleged “dirty bomb”.
– We view the “dirty bomb” used by the Ukrainian administration as nuclear terrorism, Nebenzja says in his letter to Guterres and the Security Council, according to the Reuters news agency.
Nebenzja continues in his letter that Russia urges the Western countries to use their influence so that the Ukrainian regime abandons its plans.
According to diplomatic sources, Russia intends to present its arguments in a closed meeting of the Security Council.