IAEA Head-Kyiv & Moscow Agree Need For IAEA To Visit Zaporizhzhia

Speaking to France24, International Atomic Energy Agency Director-General Rafael Grossi has stated that both Kyiv and Moscow have agreed with the body that its inspectors must be allowed to visit the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine, which is the site of significant tensions between Ukrainian and Russian forces at present.

• Grossi states that, "We are very, very close to reaching agreement on access", with the need to visit deemed to be so severe that a trip should come "within days". Remains to be seen whether Russia allows such a proposed visit to go ahead.
• On 24 August, the Russian National Guard - which occupies the plant - stated that it had detained two workers for handing information on Russian personnel and equipment on site to the Ukrainian armed forces. Russia's announcement comes despite Moscow's claims that the site is not being used to house military equipment.
• There are major security concerns in Ukraine and Europe about the plant, with the risk of a military conflict around the location viewed as a potentially catastrophic situation.
• Both Russia and Ukraine have denied shelling the site, with Kyiv claiming Russia is using the plant as a shield to launch attacks on neighbouring areas in the region which sits close to the front line of conflict in Ukraine's south.