UN nuclear agency head Rafael Grossi will visit Russia's Kursk nuclear power plant next week, a spokesperson confirmed on August 22, weeks after Ukraine launched a surprise counteroffensive in the region.
"We can confirm (it's planned for) next week," a spokesperson for the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said.
The IAEA said later that Russia informed the agency that the wreckage of a drone was found on the territory of the Kursk nuclear power plant.
The IAEA said in a news release that Russia informed the agency that fragments of the drone were “reported to have been located roughly 100 meters from the plant's spent fuel nuclear storage facility.”
The IAEA said it was informed that the drone was “suppressed” in the early morning of August 22.
Grossi confirmed his intention to independently assess the situation when he visits the site next week.
“Military activity in the vicinity of a nuclear power plant is a serious risk to nuclear safety and security,” Grossi added in the news release.
During his visit Grossi will also discuss the terms of further measures that may be needed to evaluate the nuclear safety and security conditions of the plant, the IAEA said.
Last week, Russia accused Ukraine of preparing an attack on the nuclear power plant, and Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova called on the UN and the IAEA to condemn the "provocation."
Ukraine denied the accusations.
"Ukraine has neither the intention nor the ability to take any such actions. Russia should stop spreading dangerous lies," said Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokes, Heorhiy Tykhy.
The IAEA urged Russia and Ukraine on August 9 to exercise "maximum restraint" to "avoid a nuclear accident with the potential for serious radiological consequences."
