Russia asks IAEA to ensure Ukraine does not do this to Zaporizhzhia plant; responds to EU's 'unfriendly' actions

On June 23, Russia called on the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to ensure that Ukraine did not shell the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.

Lính cứu hỏa cố gắng dập tắt đám cháy sau một cuộc tấn công ở nhà máy Zaporizhzhia. Ảnh: REUTERS

Russia said it expects concrete steps from the IAEA to prevent an attack by Ukrainian armed forces on the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. Pictured: Firefighters try to extinguish a fire after an attack at the Zaporizhzhia plant, August 2022. (Source: Reuters)

According to an announcement by the Russian State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom, the corporation's CEO Alexey Likhachev made the above statement at a meeting with IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi in the Russian city of Kaliningrad, after Mr. Grossi visited the Zaporizhzhia plant last week.

"We expect concrete steps from the IAEA to prevent the offensive actions of the Ukrainian armed forces both on the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and on the adjacent territory and on critical infrastructure facilities," Likhachev said.

Earlier this week, the IAEA said the Zaporizhzhia plant was facing water-related challenges, after the Kakhovka dam burst, depleting the vast reservoir that supplies cooling water to Europe's largest nuclear power plant.

According to the agency, the military situation in the region is becoming increasingly tense as Kiev begins a counter-offensive to gain control of territories in eastern and southern Ukraine.

On the same day, June 23, Russia announced that it had added an entry ban to many European officials in response to the European Union's (EU) decision to impose new sanctions on Moscow related to the conflict in Ukraine.

"In response to these unfriendly actions, the Russian side has significantly expanded the list of representatives of European organizations and EU member states... banned from entering our territory," the Russian Foreign Ministry statement stressed.

However, the statement did not specify the number or identity of officials included in this additional sanctions list.

The ministry also noted: "We affirm that any unfriendly actions by Western countries will continue to receive timely and appropriate responses."

Earlier this week, the EU agreed on an 11th package of sanctions against Russia over Moscow's large-scale military offensive in Ukraine, including measures aimed at tightening the loopholes already announced.

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