Two IAEA staff expected to stay at nuclear plant on ‘permanent basis’- Ukraine

KYIV (Reuters): Two IAEA mission members are expected to stay at the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant on a “permanent basis,” Ukraine’s state nuclear company Energoatom said on Monday, adding that four other representatives had left the station’s territory.

The Ukrainian power plant was captured by Russia in March but continues to be operated by Energoatom’s engineers and supply electricity to Ukraine’s grid.

“Today… four of the six representatives of the IAEA inspection team completed their work at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and left the plant’s territory,” Energoatom wrote in a statement on Telegram.

“It is expected that two experts will continue to work at the (plant) on a permanent basis,” the statement said.

Russian-installed local official Vladimir Rogov confirmed during a radio interview on Monday that two observers would remain, but did not give a likely time frame.

“The IAEA mission’s members have now left the Zaporizhzhia (plant), while at present two people have remained there as observers,” he said.