MOSCOW, April 30. /TASS/. Ukrainian authorities continue to deliberately escalate the situation around the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant - likely, ahead of intensification of hostilities, says Rosatom CEO Alexey Likhachev.

"The escalation of the situation on the Ukrainian side, it continues," he said on Russian TV Sunday, adding that said escalation includes pressure on the NPP staff, among other things.

The CEO also pointed out that there is a "premonition of potential intensification of hostilities" on the Zaporozhye direction.

Russia has repeatedly drawn attention of the international community to shelling of the Zaporozhye NPP by Ukrainian forces. IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi stated in December last year that an agreement on establishment of a protection zone around the power plant may be achieved shortly. Previously, Likhachev said that the security model being discussed with Gross rules out any shelling of the site. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian side demands demilitarization of the power plant, implying withdrawal of Russian security personnel.