Ukraine, IAEA to hold joint meeting on nuclear plants amid Russian threats

First Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Energy Denys Shmyhal and Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi agreed to hold a joint meeting with the heads of nuclear power plants and the agency's missions in Ukraine amid intelligence received about possible Russian attacks on energy infrastructure important for nuclear power plants.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said Monday he held an important conversation with IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi, agreeing to soon jointly hear from the heads of Ukraine’s nuclear power plants and IAEA missions working at the sites.

Shmyhal said he also discussed with Grossi the need for an extraordinary meeting of the IAEA Board of Governors to assess the impact of Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy system.

He told Grossi that Russia is preparing another large-scale strike on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, with potential attacks on facilities and networks servicing nuclear power plants.

Grossi, Shmyhal said, reported that the IAEA is preparing a report and methodology to evaluate the effects of Russian attacks on the operation of nuclear stations.

The energy minister emphasized that the continued presence of IAEA missions at Ukrainian energy sites is strategically important for the country.

"The IAEA is preparing a new expert mission to Ukrainian nuclear plants, including Zaporizhia, and to substations that affect the operation of nuclear facilities. I am grateful for this decision," Shmyhal said.

He also stressed that relocating IAEA missions to temporarily occupied regions of Ukraine through Russian territory is unacceptable.