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IAEA cannot control situation at ZNPP, says Zelensky

"Four people, even if they are honest, can control nothing," Ukrainian President said

MOSCOW, July 6. /TASS/. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) experts cannot control the situation at the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky said on Wednesday.

"There are four IAEA inspectors at the plant. What can four people control? The plant occupies a large territory. Four people, even if they are honest, can control nothing," he said during a video link with Argentinian students. The video was posted on Zelensky’s Telegram channel.

Renat Karchaa, an adviser to the director general of Russia’s Rosenergoatom nuclear power engineering company, said earlier that Ukraine will try to attack the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) in the coming night by dropping bombs loaded with radioactive waste removed from the South Ukraine NPP on July 3. The standby bombing plan provides for the use of a Tochka-U high-precision rocket with a warhead stuffed with radioactive waste, he said.

Zelensky, in turn, claimed that Russia had allegedly planted objects "resembling explosive devices" on the roof of ZNPP’s power units. The Ukrainian health ministry issued recommendation in case of an explosion at the nuclear plant. However, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said on Wednesday that the organization’s experts had found no signs of mining.

Ahead of Grossi’s visit to Russia on June 23, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky accused Russia of plotting a terror attack on the Zaporozhye NPP. He informed about it the United States, Brazil, India, China, European, Middle East and African countries but provided no evidence to back his allegation. Ukrainian Interior Minister Igor Klimenko said that Ukraine would hold drills and organize crisis centers "in case of a possible radiation leak from the ZNPP."

Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov refuted these allegations as another lie. According to Karchaa, Zelensky’s statements may indicate that Kiev is plotting a terror attack or a strike on the ZNPP in a bid to drag NATO into the conflict.

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Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky

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