MOSCOW, October 25. /TASS/. The initiative of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi to create a safety zone around the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant would ban firing from its territory and shelling the plant itself, Russia generally supports this idea, Russian Permanent Representative to the International Organizations in Vienna Mikhail Ulyanov said during a Rossiya-24 TV broadcast.
"IAEA Director General Grossi suggested an alternative concept of developing a zone of nuclear and physical nuclear safety at the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant. The point of this concept, in a nutshell, is that it would be impossible to shell from the territory of the plant and [on the contrary] shell the territory of the plant. A rather rational idea that we generally support. The question, as always, is in the details," the diplomat said.
"The main issues that still need to be settled are the geographical parameters of this zone: whether that is to be the territory of the plant as it is, which would probably be the most rational decision, or whether we should add some territory around the plant as well. This is all up for discussion," he explained.
Another important factor is, in the diplomat’s opinion, the issue of who will monitor the implementation of this agreement. So far there are only "preliminary considerations" on the matter. "I don’t know whether this idea will be developed. Grossi himself is quite determined to put it forward, but it all depends on the Ukrainian side," the Russian envoy concluded.
According to him, on September 21 in New York, Grossi submitted his ideas on the safety zone around the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant to the top diplomats of Russia and Ukraine. On October 11, the Russian interdepartmental delegation presented the IAEA Director General its comments and suggestions on possible agreements. "And, as far as I know, the Ukrainians haven’t done the same. Though much time has passed," Ulyanov said.
The Zaporozhye nuclear power plant is the largest active plant in Europe. Russia took control of it on February 28, during the first days of its special military operation in Ukraine. The plant continued to operate normally. The Russian side has repeatedly stressed that there are no combat units on the territory of the plant, only units of the Russian National Guard, specialists of the Radiation, Chemical and Biological Protection Troops charged with radiation safety, and Rosatom employees, whose presence is necessary for ensuring the nuclear and physical nuclear safety of the plant.