MOSCOW, May 24. /TASS/. Kiev is not ready to take steps to prevent attacks on the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant or adjacent areas, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov told reporters on Wednesday.

"A question to Kiev: is it ready to take steps to prevent any attacks on the [nuclear] facility, adjacent areas, and Energodar, or not? The answer is no, I’m afraid," the senior Russian diplomat lamented.

Meanwhile, he insisted, there is "absolutely no reason" to question Russia’s commitment to ensuring safety at the nuke plant.

Also, Ryabkov said he was against any "destructive practices" that prevented a steady power supply to the nuclear facility. "We have been reporting all this to senior officials at the IAEA Secretariat, and are planning to continue doing so," he emphasized.

Grossi’s plan

Ryabkov said Russia has been in touch with IAEA chief Rafael Grossi regarding his initiative for security at the ZNPP. "[Grossi’s] plan has undergone a range of sweeping changes; since last year, it has morphed from what looked like a draft trilateral agreement into a bilateral one, <…> we have been in touch with Grossi at every stage," the diplomat assured.

He called on the IAEA Secretariat "not to hide behind statements" on security at the nuclear facility, "but rather make it clear that the power plant must not be attacked."

Ryabkov also said that whether Grossi’s initiative is put in place will depend entirely on the Kiev regime and the West.