VIENNA, September 12. /TASS/. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) should give a tougher response to Ukraine’s ongoing provocative acts aimed against the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant (NPP), Russia’s Permanent Representative to the Vienna-based international organizations Mikhail Ulyanov said.
He recalled that IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi visited the facility in late August and had a chance to see the consequences of Ukrainian attacks with his own eyes.
"We are grateful to the head of the Agency for this visit. We hope that the statements he made following this event will cool the hot heads of the Ukrainian authorities. At the same time, we cannot help but note that the reaction to Kiev's ongoing nuclear provocations must be tougher and more clear - from both the IAEA Secretariat leadership and the Board of Governors. After all, we are talking about the threat of a nuclear catastrophe," the Russian diplomat told the IAEA Board of Governors on Wednesday.
In his words, Ukrainian armed groups have carried out several provocations against this facility over the past month. At the moment, the nuclear safety situation at the plant remains stable, Ulyanov continued, but reminded that the design of the Kursk NPP reactors does not provide for a protective shell.
"Missile or drone strikes on the reactor halls of the plant could trigger a nuclear accident that would be felt across a significant part of Europe and could become a second Chernobyl in scale," he added.