Zakharova: Moscow considers it justified for the Russian military to take the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant under protection

Moscow considers it justified to place the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant under guard by Russian military personnel in order to prevent leaks of radioactive materials.

This is how official representative of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Maria Zakharova commented on the statement of IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi about tens of tons of nuclear materials at the Zaporozhye NPP.

Zakharova’s commentary was published by the Russian Foreign Ministry.

What the head of the IAEA said

The day before, Grossi announced that the IAEA does not have access to the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant controlled by Russian forces.

The head of the IAEA also said that the Zaporizhia NPP currently contains 40 tons of enriched uranium and 30 tons of plutonium.

Press Secretary of the Russian President Dmitry Peskov said that the IAEA is in contact with both Moscow and Kiev on the issue of organizing a visit to the Zaporizhia NPP by agency representatives.

Zakharova’s comment

The diplomat said that the Zaporizhia NPP is now managed by a Ukrainian operator, and the Russian Armed Forces provide security.

Zakharova noted that the uranium at the Zaporozhye NPP is low-enriched, and the plutonium found in spent nuclear fuel cannot be isolated without complex installations, which are available only in a few countries in the world, and due to its isotopic composition, it can hardly be used to create nuclear weapons .

As for the data about the supposedly 30 tons of plutonium at the station, they, according to a representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, require clarification.

Zakharova emphasized that Moscow considers it justified for Russian military personnel to take custody of the Zaporizhia NPP in order to prevent leaks of nuclear and radioactive materials.