Russia Accuses Ukraine of Blocking IAEA Chief’s Zaporozhskaya Plant Visit
Moscow says security arrangements were in place for Rafael Grossi’s planned visit, while Kyiv allegedly warned that his safety could not be guaranteed.
Russia says a planned IAEA visit to the Zaporozhskaya Nuclear Power Plant was disrupted.
MOSCOW, August 18, 2026: Russia has accused Ukraine of disrupting a planned visit by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi to the Zaporozhskaya Nuclear Power Plant and the nearby city of Energodar.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova made the allegations in a statement on August 18. She said Grossi had planned to visit the nuclear facility on August 20 and 21 alongside a scheduled rotation of IAEA experts.
According to Zakharova, Russian authorities and the IAEA Secretariat had agreed on the arrangements in advance. She said Moscow had also provided security guarantees that satisfied the agency.
Moscow Blames Kyiv for Disrupted Visit
Zakharova claimed that Kyiv warned the IAEA chief that his safety could not be guaranteed if he travelled to the plant through Russian-controlled territory.
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She said the warning ultimately led to Grossi cancelling the planned visit. Moscow described the development as evidence of what it called Ukraine’s hostile approach toward the Zaporozhskaya facility and international nuclear oversight.
However, the allegations reflect Russia’s position on the dispute. The claims have not been independently established in the statement.
More than 100 words into the article, Zaporozhskaya Nuclear Plant remains at the centre of concerns over nuclear safety amid the continuing Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Russia Raises Nuclear Safety Concerns
Zakharova accused Ukrainian forces of repeatedly targeting the plant and its personnel. She also alleged that previous IAEA staff rotations had faced disruptions and claimed attacks had affected vehicles carrying agency representatives.
The Russian official further said that ceasefire arrangements intended to facilitate repairs to infrastructure linked to the plant had previously been violated.
She also referred to an August 18 incident in Energodar, claiming that a strike hit a public transport stop. According to her statement, one person died and 15 others were injured.
Moscow Criticises Western Support for Kyiv
Zakharova also criticised Western governments for continuing to provide political and material support to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
She argued that such backing encourages what Moscow describes as increasingly dangerous actions around the nuclear facility.
The Zaporozhskaya plant has remained a major focus of international nuclear safety concerns since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The IAEA has repeatedly maintained a presence at the facility through expert missions and monitoring arrangements.
Russia said the latest developments should prompt greater international attention to threats surrounding the plant and called on those supporting Kyiv to acknowledge what Moscow described as Ukraine’s responsibility.
