Russian media used the IAEA to accuse Ukraine of allegedly shelling ZNPP

Russian state media attributed to the IAEA chief a statement that Ukraine was allegedly shelling the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant (ZNPP). In this way, the aggressor is trying to legitimize the occupation of the plant's territory.

This is reported by RBC-Ukraine with reference to a report by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

It is noted that on June 15, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi refused to attend the Global Peace Summit on June 16-17 in Switzerland in order "not to mix political considerations with the IAEA's technical work."

At the same time, the official gave an interview to the Kremlin's Izvestia newspaper, which was published on June 17. In it, he allegedly stated that unidentified people had attacked the Agency's inspectors and experts on the territory of the Zaporizhzhia NPP, violated and jeopardized the IAEA's basic principles ensuring the safe operation of the plant.

He added that unidentified drones had attacked the nuclear power plant.

He also spoke about the attacks on ZNPP on April 7, but did not specify whether the Agency believes that they were carried out by the Ukrainian or Russian military, and, most importantly, did not specify whether they were Ukrainian or Russian strikes. In fact, the IAEA refused to recognize who was involved in the April attack.

Instead, Izvestia inserted an editorial into the interview claiming that the "unprecedented" strikes on the ZNPP on April 7 were carried out by the Ukrainian Defense Forces and actually attributed these words to the IAEA director.

Author - Dmitriy Levchenko, 18/06/2024