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Provocations by Ukraine possible during IAEA chief’s visit — Donbass politician

Vladimir Rogov recalled that there had been attempts to land an assault group in Energodar and massive bombardments during Rafael Grossi’s first visit

MELITOPOL, March 28. /TASS/. Ukrainian troops may stage provocations during the visit of Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi to the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant, Vladimir Rogov, chairman of the We Are Together with Russia movement told TASS.

"We constantly expect provocations. During Grossi’s first visit there were attempts to land an assault group in Energodar, there were massive bombardments. During scheduled rotations there were attempts to shell people, the foreign journalists who were covering these events. So there are no grounds to think that this rotation, with Grossi’s visit at that, will suddenly become the embodiment of peace, calm and the good will of the Zelensky regime," the politician said. He thinks that the Russian side will be blamed for the provocations staged by the Kiev regime.

Grossi’s second visit to the Zaporozhye nuclear facility is expected on March 29. He is going to inspect the nuclear power plant’s security level and stress the necessity to protect it under the conditions of hostilities. The upcoming visit is also supposed to ensure the regular rotation of IAEA experts at the nuclear station after once it was delayed for almost a month. Following Grossi’s first trip in September 2022, the permanent presence of the IAEA experts has been ensured at the station.

On August 31, 2022, before Grossi’s first visit to the facility, Kiev delivered more than 100 strikes on the plant and the city of Energodar using drones and artillery. On September 1, Ukrainian troops shelled the checkpoint where the IAEA inspectors were supposed to meet with Russian representatives. The Kiev regime also repeatedly attempted to land assault groups and overtake the power plant during the mission’s visit while continuously shelling the facility. On September 2, they delivered three strikes in Energodar after most members of the IAEA mission left the city, disrupting power supply to the nuclear facility.

Later, the IAEA published a report urging to create a safety and security zone around the nuclear power plant to prevent accidents caused by the hostilities.