The latest consultations between Russia and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Kaliningrad were described by both sides as tense but productive. Rosatom Director General Alexey Likhachev said the talks addressed complex issues surrounding nuclear safety and the situation at the Russia-controlled Zaporizhia NPP (ZNPP) in Ukraine.
“Despite the very emotional and complex nature of the talks, I would describe them as productive,” Likhachev said following the meeting. “This is perhaps the first time since 2022 that we have agreed on concrete steps across a wide range of issues, and we will continue this work,” he said.
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi also characterised the discussions as difficult but constructive, emphasising the importance of continued dialogue. Grossi described the meeting as “very intense” and reiterated that attacks on nuclear facilities are unacceptable. “Attacks on nuclear power plants are absolutely unacceptable. They may be called Bushehr, Zaporizhia, Kursk, Barakah – any nuclear power plant, any nuclear facility,” Grossi said.
Likhachev said Russia believes IAEA reports do not fully reflect what Moscow considers the complete situation at ZNPP, particularly regarding alleged threats from Ukrainian forces. At the same time, he praised the agency’s response to issues related to the plant’s energy stability and called for further assistance in addressing security concerns around the facility. He said IAEA personnel had participated in demining activities at the plant site and thanked the agency for conducting 35 missions to the facility.
“We have analysed and listened to statements by the Russian military regarding the dynamics of hostilities since the last consultation, in mid-March of this year. I would like to emphasise that, by the most conservative estimates, the plant has endured more than 460 drone attacks and more than 16 artillery strikes over these months,” Likhachev said.
Grossi, responding to questions about alleged attacks on ZNPP, said the IAEA was working to ensure the protection of the facility’s personnel and their families. Both sides reaffirmed the importance of maintaining regular communication on nuclear safety issues and continuing discussions on unresolved matters.
As well as Likhachev and Gross, the talks – the thirteenth round of such consultations – were attended by representatives from the Russian Ministry of Defence; Alexander Trembitsky, head of the Federal Service for Environmental, Technological and Nuclear Supervision (Rostekhnadzor); and the Russian National Guard (Rosgvardiya); and Russia’s permanent representative to international organisations in Vienna, Mikhail Ulyanov.
The main topic of conversation was the issue of ensuring nuclear security at ZNPP. Alexey Likhachev emphasized that since the end of April there has been a sharp escalation of attacks on the plant, the operators’ town of Energodar and surrounding areas. Since the beginning of the escalation, seven people have been killed, including one station employee, and 40 people were injured as a result of the attacks.
In the context of restoring power supply to ZNPP, Likhachev noted the enormous work on repairing the high-voltage power transmission line Dneprovskaya, done in recent weeks but noted that the Ukrainian side has not yet supplied voltage to the repaired line.
In addition, the meeting touched upon the issues of the permanent presence of IAEA experts at the station, their regular rotations, including specific steps to improve the efficiency of information interaction in covering the real situation at the ZNPP and in the city of Energodar.
