- Russia is confident that the mission can be carried out "at the end of August or beginning of September."

Zaporizhia nuclear power plant, Ukraine. / RALF1969, WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Ukraine asks the International Atomic Energy Agency for a permanent presence at the Zaporizhia plant and Russia supports it

The Government of Ukraine said on Tuesday that it asked the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to consider the possibility of establishing a permanent presence in the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant until the country's authorities regain control of this facility, currently in the hands of the Russian Army.

This was explained by the Ukrainian ambassador to the UN, Sergiy Kyslytsya, during a meeting of the Security Council focused on the situation of this plant, which has recently been the object of repeated attacks that have generated significant international alarm.

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The IAEA has been trying since June to send an expert mission to assess the situation at the plant and, with the support of the United Nations, has redoubled efforts after the recent bombings.

Kyslytsya said that his country responded on Tuesday to a letter sent last week by this body on the organization of that visit and noted that the proposed itinerary may be "generally acceptable", although he considers that certain security details still need to be finalized.

In that response, Ukraine also raised the possibility that the experts remain in Zaporizhia "until the competent authorities regain control", given the serious threat to nuclear security.

Until now, what had been discussed was a visit by IAEA specialists in order to analyze the operation of the plant and the damage it has suffered in the recent attacks, of which Ukraine and Russia accuse each other.

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Deadlines

Russia reiterated this Tuesday at the UN that it supports this initiative from the outset and trusts that it can take place as soon as possible.

Asked about what is preventing its deployment right now, the Russian ambassador, Vasili Nebenzia, said that technical details are being discussed and he was confident that the mission could be carried out "at the end of August or beginning of September."

His Ukrainian counterpart, meanwhile, insisted that it is necessary to guarantee that the visit has access to the true situation at the plant and not to a "theater" organized by the Russian forces.

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