The United Nation's atomic agency chief is visiting Russia to express its concerns over the security of a Ukrainian nuclear power plant that Russian soldiers ceased at the onset of their invasion of Ukraine and still occupy.
International Atomic Energy Agency Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi reportedly arrived at a Black Sea resort on Tuesday evening to talk about nuclear safety in Ukraine, according to Russian state-run television.
The trip was only announced on Monday, the first day of regular meetings of the UN Board of Governors in Vienna, Switzerland.
The agency has repeatedly stressed how dangerous the situation at the Zaporizhi Nuclear Power Plant is and the potential for catastrophe that would irradiate thousands of square miles for centuries.
The plant's six reactors are shut down and have been for months, but power and qualified staff are still needed to operate the cool systems, which are essential.
Speaking before a throng of reporters in the resort town of Sochi, the IAEA chief said that he had a "very intensive and exhaustive working session" with Russian officials, including from Russia's state nuclear energy agency Rosatom and the foreign and defense ministries.
"This gave me, and gave us, I think, an opportunity to evaluate the situation at the nuclear power plant," he said.Grossi would later meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin and stated they had an "important exchange" about the plant and nuclear non-proliferation issues.
Grossi visited the plant in question in February as part of efforts to prevent a nuclear disaster amid ongoing fighting. He also held a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Nearly 5,200 workers fled the plant since Russia began its occupation of the facility in March 2022, according to the Associated Press. 360 Ukrainian workers were still working at the plant at the start of the year.
However, beginning in February, they were no longer allowed to access the plant as Ukrainian workers were replaced with Russian workers or residents of Russian-controlled cities and towns "who do not understand what a nuclear power plant is."
