Russia is “undermining the authority and independence” of the UN’s nuclear watchdog, whose experts monitor the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant in Ukraine, Kyiv said on Sunday.
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry sent a note of protest to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) over restrictions imposed on its monitoring mission at the plant.
The protest followed the arrival of a new IAEA team, which, for the first time during the war, travelled through Russian-controlled territory, according to Russian state media. The team had been delayed for weeks due to military activity around the site, with each side blaming the other for the holdup.
Previously, IAEA monitors had arrived via Ukrainian-controlled or contested areas. Kyiv has long opposed UN experts entering through Russian-occupied territory, arguing it legitimizes the Kremlin’s false claims of ownership.
Ukraine says it has repeatedly offered safe passage, but Moscow refuses to provide security guarantees, effectively forcing the IAEA to comply with Russian demands.
“Only the cessation of Russian nuclear blackmail and the return of the [Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant] to its legal owner — Ukraine — will allow real IAEA monitoring and ensure nuclear safety in Europe,” the note stated.
Russian forces seized the plant shortly after the invasion nearly three years ago. Although it no longer generates power and remains largely shut down, safety risks persist. The IAEA deploys staff to the site on a rotational basis.