MOSCOW, March 3. /TASS/. The incident where fire was deliberately opened from Ukraine on the Russian security team meeting IAEA experts who were on their way to the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant for rotation cannot be ignored, Renat Karchaa, advisor to the director general of the Rosenergoatom company, said on Russian television on Friday.
"I think that there will definitely be a note from Russia following this incident. In our opinion, such armed provocations cannot be ignored. We can say that members of the Russian security team risked their lives, but showed a great deal of composure and self-control," he said.
According to Karchaa, the rotation took place amid a difficult situation. Russia defused seven tripwire landmines along the mission’s route, while the security team responsible for meeting the IAEA inspectors came under heavy gunfire and then machine gun fire, which was accurate, the adviser to the Rosenergoatom CEO stressed. He also explained that Russia had agreed on the location for the delegation’s crossing into its area of responsibility, which was suggested by the UN Department of Safety and Security, and ensured the safety of the route.
On Thursday, Karchaa told TASS that the IAEA mission was successfully rotated in the fourth attempt. According to the advisor, the UN Department of Safety and Security had previously disrupted it three times although Russia had provided all safety and security assurances.