Rafael Grossi, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), is currently travelling to Kyiv after discussions with Russian authorities on establishing a protection zone around the Ukrainian nuclear power plant that is currently under Russian occupation.
In a statement on Twitter, Mr Grossi said he had agreed with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that he would come back to Kyiv and work around the nuclear power plant continued.
Earlier today, a Russian-installed official said the safety zone around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant was not possible until the frontline was at least 100 km (62 miles) away.
“As of today, I think that it is extremely unsafe,” Yevgeny Balitsky told state television.
He also warned that it would not be possible to quickly relaunch the plant, amid fears shelling could further compromise its safety.
“It’s not a toy, you can’t just turn it on and off like a switch. There are runaway processes, there’s cooling, and so forth,” Mr Balitsky added.
The IAEA has been pushing for a demilitarised security zone around the plant, Europe’s Largest, which remains close to the frontline between Russian and Ukrainian forces.
Both Moscow and Kyiv have accused each other of shelling the plant and the facilities around it, risking a nuclear accident.
As agreed with 🇺🇦 President @ZelenskyyUa, after my meetings in St Petersburg I am coming back to Kyiv. The work on the establishment of a nuclear safety & security protection zone around #Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant continues. pic.twitter.com/JKuAtN8O7E
— Rafael MarianoGrossi (@rafaelmgrossi) October 12, 2022