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Putin says trusts IAEA report, but IAEA under pressure from US, Europe

The Russian president noted that the IAEA report states that military vehicles must be withdrawn from the ZNPP territory, but there are no military vehicles there

VLADIVOSTOK, September 7. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin said he trusts the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report on the visit to the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant, but noted that this organization is under pressure from the US and Europe and cannot say it openly that artillery strikes come from the Ukrainian side.

"Yes, I undoubtedly trust this report. IAEA is a very responsible international organization, and [its] head is a very professional man," the president said, speaking at the Eastern Economic Forum Wednesday.

"They [the IAEA - TASS] are, of course, under pressure from the countries where they operate in, including the US and European states, and they cannot sat it straightforwardly that artillery strikes come from the Ukrainian territory, but it is an obvious thing," the head of state added.

Putin noted that the IAEA report states that military vehicles must be withdrawn from the ZNPP territory, but there are no military vehicles there.

"IAEA employees should have seen that. And they can see it still, because there are two [employees] staying there. The Russian National Guard has been deployed there, it guards the perimeter and the internal part of the power plant," the Russian President said.

"But our vehicles, including military vehicles that provide anti-artillery fire, are not at the station. They have been deployed beyond the power plant’s perimeter, rather far away," Putin added.

Earlier, the IAEA summarized the outcome of its inspection of Ukrainian nuclear sites, including the Zaporozhye NPP. In its report published Tuesday, the international organization called to set up a protection zone around the ZNPP in order to prevent potential nuclear accidents.