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Petro Kotin: Blocking IAEA experts from the reactor halls of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant is an attempt by Russian occupiers to conceal the true situation at the NPP.

According to the President of Energoatom, Petro Kotin, the fact of denying access for the Agency’s monitoring mission experts to the reactor halls, where the reactor cores are located and the spent nuclear fuel is contained, may be an attempt of Russian occupiers to hide the real situation at Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.

He emphasizes that Energoatom is the only legitimate operator of Zaporizhzhia NPP, the Europe’s largest nuclear facility. Therefore, only returning the plant under full control of Ukraine can ensure its nuclear and radiation safety.

«The only way out is complete demilitarization and de-occupation of Zaporizhzhia NPP and adjacent territories. This is a key prerequisite for restoring not only nuclear safety but respect for international law as well,» the head of Energoatom noted.

According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, monitoring mission experts cannot gain access to all areas of the site, particularly to the reactor halls of units 1, 2, and 6 (the area where the reactor cores are located and spent nuclear fuel is contained). Access is also limited to some areas of the turbine halls of reactor units 3, 4, and 6, as well as to the roofs of reactor buildings.