IAEA chief notes progress in creation of protection zone for Zaporizhzhia NPP

The Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi, has reported progress in the creation of a nuclear safety and protection zone around the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant after his visits to Russia and Ukraine.

He said this on Twitter, Ukrinform reports.

"Arriving in Poland on the night train from Ukraine after an intensive week of consultations with Russia & Ukraine. Moving closer to the establishment of a protection zone for Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant - the plant's situation is untenable and we need immediate action to protect it," Grossi said.

He also published photos of his meeting with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba in a Kyiv bomb shelter.

"We are making progress towards the establishment of a nuclear safety and protection zone around the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant," Grossi wrote.

During the meeting, Kuleba said that Russia must withdraw from the ZNPP in order to guarantee its nuclear safety and immediately stop kidnapping and intimidating Ukrainian staff.

ZNPP, the largest nuclear power plant in Europe, has been held by the Russian military since March 4.

Grossi met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on October 12.