UNITED NATIONS, September 7. /TASS/. Russia is still waiting for concrete details of the initiative to establish a demilitarized zone around the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant (NPP), Russia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vasily Nebenzya has told reporters.
Commenting on the possibility of a demilitarized zone around the NPP, suggested by IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi earlier on Tuesday, Nebenzya said UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres came up with the initiative "a couple of months ago."
"So, the first question I’ve asked [was]: I want to know the details. Same is here. I don’t know what Director General Grossi means by that, [or] to what extent it would improve the safety," he told reporters.
"In the current circumstances, this [demilitarization] will not be a measure to protect the plant," he said. "The only reasonable way to ensure that the plant is protected from nuclear accidents is to stop Ukrainian shelling of the plant."
On Tuesday, the IAEA has summed up the results of its inspection visit to the nuclear power facilities in Ukraine, including the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant (ZNPP), and published a corresponding report. The IAEA urged in its report to immediately set up a security zone around the ZNPP. The agency stated its readiness to immediately launch consultations on this issue because such step will help to prevent a nuclear incident that may be possibly provoked by military actions.
A few hours later, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi told the UN Security Council via a video linkup that he would soon send his proposals on Zaporozhye NPP security to the sides.