IAEA's head arrives in Russia to inspect Kursk nuclear power plant safety

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) – International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) head Rafael Grossi arrived in the Russian town of Kurchatov on Tuesday to inspect the safety of the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant (NPP), which Moscow has repeatedly stated was attacked by Ukrainian forces in recent weeks following their incursion into the Kursk region.

The visit by IAEA Director General Grossi was organized in response to security concerns raised by Ukrainian troops' incursion into the Kursk region, which began on August 6.

The UN nuclear watchdog chief has previously warned of the serious risk of damage to the Kursk NPP as a result of ongoing military actions, noting that the IAEA takes the situation surrounding the plant very seriously.

Grossi plans to visit the plant, meet with its management, and assess the situation and severity of the threat to it.

The IAEA has repeatedly stated that military activity near nuclear facilities poses a serious threat to nuclear and physical security.

On Aug. 22, Ukraine attempted a kamikaze drone attack on the Kursk nuclear plant, the combat drone was shot down near a spent nuclear fuel storage facility.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova condemned the attack, calling it "an act of nuclear terrorism that warrants immediate action from the IAEA."

The Kursk NPP is one of Russia's largest nuclear power plants, and it is an important part of the country's Unified Energy System, providing power to 19 regions in the Central Federal District.