The Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency told the UN Security Council on Thursday that the “situation is serious” and demanded access to the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant, which Moscow and Kiev accuse each other of bombing.
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“The situation is dangerous and the International Atomic Energy Agency must be allowed to carry out its mission in Zaporizhia as quickly as possible,” Rafael Grossi, speaking by video during this emergency meeting of the Security Council, said.
He insisted that “time is running out” as the IAEA has been trying for weeks to send a mission to inspect the station.
The site of the Zaporizhia Power Plant, the largest in Europe, which has been under Russian control since the beginning of March, was bombed again on Thursday.
On Thursday, the spokesman for the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, rejected this idea again, when asked about accusations indicating the responsibility of the United Nations for the delay in sending the International Atomic Energy Agency mission there.
“This is a nuclear power plant in the middle of a battlefield. I think we can imagine at least two or three pages of obstacles,” Stephane Dujarric said.
To ensure site security and allow for an inspection mission, Antonio Guterres and the United States on Thursday called for the establishment of a demilitarized zone around the plant.
“Unfortunately, instead of de-escalation, more alarming incidents have been reported in recent days, incidents that, if they continue, could lead to disaster,” Antonio Guterres said in a statement.
