Inspectors leave Kyiv – go to nuclear power plants

Inspectors leave Kyiv go to nuclear power plants

Published: Less than 30 min ago

fullscreen IAEA chief Rafael Grossi speaks to the press early Wednesday morning. Photo: Efrem Lukatsky/AP/TT

Inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) are on their way to the Ukrainian nuclear power plant Zaporizhzhya, which has been under heavy fire in recent weeks.

– We are finally on our way after six months of effort. The IAEA is now going to Zaporizhzhya, said IAEA chief Rafael Grossi before departure from Kyiv.

The group will inspect the facility on the Dnieper in the south of the country and will stay there for a few days.

– We will give reports after the assignment, says Grossi.

Russian forces have controlled the area where the facility is located since shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met the representatives of the IAEA on Tuesday to discuss the situation at the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant. Intense fighting in the area raging in the area could threaten the nuclear power plant. Both Ukraine and Russia accuse the other party of, among other things, firing grenades at the nuclear power plant.

– We want the IAEA’s delegation to reach the nuclear power plant to be able to do everything possible to avoid dangers, Zelenskyy said in a videotaped statement.

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