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IAEA inspectors found no military equipment on Ukrainian NPPs, Director General says

Previously, Rafael Grossi stated his intention to continue consultations on the protection zone around the Zaporozhye NPP with Russia and Ukraine in the upcoming days

BRUSSELS, January 24. /TASS/. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors have found no military equipment on Ukrainian nuclear power plants during their inspection, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said, speaking before the European Parliament in Brussels Tuesday.

"[IAEA teams] in collaboration and cooperation with the Ukrainian management of these facilities ascertained if there is, in fact, any military equipment. […] And, of course, the result of those inspections was negative, and we are going to be reporting about it," he said.

Grossi noted that a protection zone must be established around the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant. He also believes that IAEA inspectors must be present at all nuclear power plants in Ukraine.

Previously, Grossi stated his intention to continue consultations on the protection zone around the Zaporozhye NPP with Russia and Ukraine in the upcoming days. According to the Director General, all sides agree that a protection zone around the power plant must be established, but the negotiations proceed with serious difficulties.

On Monday, Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) press office said that Ukrainian Armed Forces stockpile ammunition, shipped by the West - HIMARS rockets in particular - at nuclear power plants. The SVR noted that the Ukrainian military believes that Russian forces will not target nuclear power plants, and, should an ammunition depot detonate, destroying a nuclear power plant in the process, because of a ‘stray’ air defense missile, this tragedy could be blamed on Russia.

Later, Ukrainian Presidential Office head’s advisor Mikhail Podolyak claimed that Kiev has never stored ammunition at nuclear power plants, and that the Ukrainian authorities have always been open for inspections, including the IAEA.

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Middle East conflict

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