BISHKEK, September 7. /TASS/. Shelling by Ukrainian forces near nuclear energy facilities reflects Kiev's irresponsible approach to security issues, prompting Moscow to call upon Western countries and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to take these facts seriously, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said.

"The shelling of nuclear infrastructure by the Ukrainian side - I am referring not only to the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant [NPP], but also to the recent drone attacks on the town of Kurchatov, in the immediate vicinity of the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant - reflects how irresponsibly Kiev treats basic, key concepts in the sphere of nuclear safety. The Kiev regime’s Western sponsors should pay the most serious attention to this, and we also call upon the IAEA leadership to take what is happening seriously," he told reporters on the sidelines of a regional seminar titled "Strengthening the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Regime."

According to the senior diplomat, Moscow expects the IAEA leadership to draw the necessary conclusions from the situation. "There is no place here for so-called equal distance. This is a direct disregard by the Kiev regime of the five principles of nuclear safety developed and put forward by [IAEA] Director General [Rafael] Grossi, which Russia has taken very positively, as seen by the discussions at the recent UN Security Council meeting. We’ve also worked with the IAEA for a long time. The Kiev regime demagogically says one thing, but does the opposite. We should pay attention to this," Ryabkov pointed out.

Speaking at the UN Security Council meeting on May 30, Grossi outlined five principles for the protection of the Zaporozhye NPP, including a ban on firing from the NPP’s premises and toward it, as well as toward its reactors, personnel and spent fuel storage facilities. In addition, Grossi said that the plant should not be used to house heavy weapons and military personnel, and external power lines should be secured. All plant structures necessary for its operation should be protected from attack and sabotage, the IAEA chief pointed out.