MOSCOW, Apr 5 Zone creation dialog security around the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant (ZNPP) is not developing easily, Russia continues to work on the parameters of the area of the security zone around the plant, consultations with the IAEA are ongoing, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at a briefing.
«We are in constant dialogue with the Director General of the IAEA, Mr. (Rafael) Grossi, and this dialogue concerns all aspects of the operation and operation of the ZNPP. From the very beginning, Russia has contributed to the implementation of Mr. Grossi's initiative to create a nuclear safety protection zone at the plant, the dialogue You, too, probably know, it is not easy to develop, we have repeatedly spoken about this,» she said.
At the same time, Zakharova indicated that the main goal is «to do everything possible to prevent Ukrainian shelling of the ZNPP, to prevent any emergency, and even more so — a man-made disaster with unpredictable consequences.»
The official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry added that the main obstacle in this matter is the position of the Kyiv regime, which «is not ready to support the efforts of the IAEA Director General and assume obligations not to attack the station.»
«As for the possible parameters of the zone, in other words, its scope, we continue to work on resolving this issue, and while, frankly, it is premature to disclose specific details in the public space, let's leave it to the negotiators, experts,» she said, adding that she assured that consultations with the Agency were ongoing.
Zaporozhye NPP is located on the left bank of the Dnieper near the town of Energodar. This is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe in terms of the number of units and installed capacity — the plant has six power units with a capacity of 1 gigawatt each. Since March 2022, it has been under the protection of the Russian military. The Foreign Ministry emphasized that this step is necessary to prevent leakage of nuclear and radioactive materials.
Ukrainian military continue shelling Energodar and the territory of the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant adjacent to the city. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said that the Kiev regime seeks to create the appearance of a threat of a nuclear catastrophe by continuing to purposefully shell the ZNPP. The IAEA has repeatedly stated the need to create a security zone around the station.