The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which is already present at the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant seized by the Russian army, will send experts to other Ukrainian facilities in the coming days and will triple their number in the next period, AFP and Agerpres report.

According to a press release issued Friday evening, the UN body “will soon be permanently stationed at all stations in Ukraine, including Chernobyl.”

IAEA Director General Raphael Grossi will arrive in Ukraine next week to launch the new device.

If specific missions have taken place since the beginning of the war, this decision is a “significant increase”, the IAEA emphasizes.

So far, only the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which is located near the front line and regularly becomes the target of bombings, has received personnel from the IAEA. According to the UN body based in Vienna, “up to four people” have been there since September.

• Read also: Rafael Grossi: It is becoming more and more difficult to agree on the Zaporizhzhia NPP, because Russian officers are also involved in it

From now on, “about 11-12 experts will be present at any time” in Ukraine to “monitor the situation, inspect equipment” or even “provide technical assistance,” the IAEA reports.

Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal in December, after a meeting with Raphael Grossi, announced the organization of missions to ensure the safety of five power plants in the country, without giving details about the size of the missions and their implementation dates.

In addition to Zaporizhzhia, IAEA inspectors will be stationed in Rivne, Khmelnytskyi, Yuzhno-Ukrainian and Chernobyl.

The Director General of the IAEA will also meet with senior officials of Ukraine during his visit as part of efforts to create a “safety zone” around the Zaporizhzhia NPP. In recent months, Rafael Grossi has held consultations with the authorities in Kyiv and Moscow, so far without success.

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