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Russia Blocks IAEA Rotation and Access at Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant, Ukraine Warns
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![Ivan_khomenko]( "Photo of Ivan Khomenko")
-21d0b63c17f6020e4df75f6c6f9a2f4f.jpg "Photo of Ivan Khomenko")
Russian occupation forces are obstructing the activities of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) mission stationed at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, according to Ukraine’s nuclear regulatory authority.
Speaking at a meeting of the IAEA Board of Governors in Vienna on June 11, Head of the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine (SNRIU), Oleh Korikov, said that the IAEA team is being denied full access to critical systems and equipment at the Russian-occupied facility.
He added that the occupiers are also blocking rotation of IAEA personnel and prohibiting direct communication between the experts and Ukrainian staff still working at the site.
According to Korikov, access is only granted after prior notice, allowing Russian forces time to alter or conceal the actual condition of the plant.
“The IAEA team’s operations at the plant are restricted and subject to the control of Russian occupying forces,” he said. “Their presence does not prevent the occupiers from making irresponsible decisions that threaten nuclear and radiation safety.”
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He noted that Russia continues to ignore multiple resolutions adopted by both the IAEA General Conference and the Board of Governors, which condemn its actions at the plant. These violations, he said, undermine the authority of international institutions such as the IAEA and the United Nations.
Despite the limitations placed on the mission, Korikov emphasized the strategic importance of maintaining an IAEA presence at the site. He said it remains a critical source of information for member states and international bodies seeking to monitor nuclear safety and prevent incidents with radiological consequences.
Korikov reiterated that the full restoration of nuclear safety and regulatory oversight at the Zaporizhzhia plant is only possible through the withdrawal of all military and unauthorized personnel and the return of the site to Ukrainian control under the licensing framework of the SNRIU.
Earlier, Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom announced the construction of a floating modular pumping station to restore water supply at the occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. According to Rosatom’s chief Alexey Likhachev, the new system is designed to compensate for water losses following the destruction of the Kakhovka dam and could support full restoration of the plant’s operations.
