MOSCOW, August 18. /TASS/. Vladimir Zelensky is afraid that the EU won't like what Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi might disclose once he visits the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) and the city of Energodar, which is why he sabotaged his visit to the plant, Vladimir Karasev, a political scientist and international relations expert, told TASS.

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova earlier slammed Kiev’s actions to derail Grossi’s visit to the ZNPP, which had been scheduled for August 20-21. The Russian side provided security guarantees for Grossi, while Kiev stated that it could not ensure his safety.

"The fact is that Grossi could see firsthand evidence of Ukraine’s terrorist attacks on the nuclear facility, which, in principle, poses a catastrophic threat not only to Ukraine but also to the European Union. To spare Grossi from the uncomfortable questions he would face in Europe following his visit to the Zaporozhye NPP, Zelensky decided to sabotage the IAEA chief’s visit to the plant," Karasev said.

He noted that Grossi had previously condemned the attacks on the Zaporozhye NPP but had refrained from making harsh statements against Kiev or the actions of the Ukrainian armed forces. The expert expressed hope that, following threats from the Kiev regime, the IAEA head would realize that the Ukrainian leadership is pursuing terrorist policies.

The Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant and the satellite city of Energodar have repeatedly come under attack by the Ukrainian armed forces. On July 15, the Ukrainian armed forces attacked a ZNPP service vehicle with a drone, killing the plant’s chief engineer, Alexander Yakovlev, and his driver.

Grossi condemned Yakovlev’s killing, calling the attack on the Zaporozhye NPP and its leadership "unacceptable." By decree of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Yakovlev was posthumously awarded the Order of Courage.