IAEA establishing permanent presence at Russian-held nuclear plant in Ukraine – Grossi

Six experts with the International Atomic Energy Agency remained at the Zaporizhia NPP after their mission visited the facility on Thursday; in the future, two representatives of the Agency will constantly work at the plant.

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi stated this Friday evening at a press conference held in the Vienna airport upon his return from Ukraine, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"Six of our experts remain there (at the Zaporizhia NPP – ed.), they are going to continue the work that we started yesterday. And after that, as I also indicated in Kyiv and after the visit, the inspection in Zaporizhia and at the plant itself, we are establishing our permanent presence on site. This time, two of our experts will be continuing the work," the official said.

According to Grossi, both sides – Ukrainian and Russian – have agreed to the permanent presence of two IAEA experts at the NPP. He added that the other four experts will leave the plant tentatively next week.

The IAEA Director General assured that these two experts are "very experienced", and that their presence at the plant will allow the Agency to receive information non-stop about the situation at the NPP.

As reported, the mission of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) led by its head Rafael Grossi arrived in Ukraine and on September 1 visited the Zaporizhia NPP.

The ZNPP, Europe's largest nuclear power plant, has been captured by the Russian military on March 4. Since then the invaders have been deploying military equipment and ammunition on the site of the station, as well as shelling the surrounding area.

The United Nations, the United States, and Ukraine have called on the Russian Federation to withdraw military equipment and personnel from the nuclear facility.