Ukraine has lodged a protest with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) after its staff left the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant via occupied territories. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs believes this was a result of pressure from Russia.
This is stated in a statement from the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
It is noted that Russia forced IAEA employees to remain at the ZNPP “under unprecedented psychological pressure, in a high-risk zone” without rotation for 80 days, exceeding the planned duration.
Ukraine has repeatedly proposed a rotation route through controlled territory; however, Russia consistently denied the IAEA guarantees of safety under such conditions, compelling the IAEA to agree to evacuate staff through occupied territories.
As a result, the Ukrainian authorities sent a protest note to the agency, condemning the violation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity by IAEA staff. At the same time, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs added that they consider such actions by the international organization “a humanitarian evacuation in conditions that threaten the lives and health of people.”
They also promised to raise the issue of Russia’s “unprecedented pressure” at the upcoming meeting of the IAEA leadership council and called on all international organizations to reject Russian conditions “to preserve their own authority, independence, and impartiality.”
It is worth noting that Russian media and Radio Free Europe correspondent Rikard Jozwiak reported that the IAEA conducted its first rotation of personnel at the temporarily occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant through occupied Ukrainian territories.
A few days earlier, Jozwiak warned that the rotation would likely occur through Crimea without Ukraine's consent and in defiance of EU warnings.
“A bold step by Rafael Grossi, who aims to become the next Secretary-General of the UN,” the journalist added.