The Ministry of Foreign Affairs believes that "a number of employees" of the IAEA have violated Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity due to Russian intimidation.
"Russia has effectively forced IAEA staff to remain at the station without rotation for 80 days, significantly exceeding the planned timeframe, subjecting individuals to unprecedented psychological pressure in a high-risk zone. Moscow has essentially deprived international experts of their freedom of movement and used them as a tool for political pressure on the international community," the statement reads.
The diplomatic agency noted that Moscow has repeatedly rejected the routes for rotation proposed by Kyiv through territory under Ukrainian control. The Russian Federation is intentionally blocking the safe exit of specialists to coerce them into accepting Russian conditions, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which therefore views the actions of the IAEA not as a rotation of observers, but as a "humanitarian evacuation under conditions that threaten the lives and health of individuals."
"Ukraine has sent a note of protest to the IAEA leadership, condemning the violation of our state's sovereignty and territorial integrity and warning against the repetition of similar actions in the future. The Ukrainian side will also raise the issue of Russia's unprecedented intimidation at the upcoming IAEA Board of Governors meeting in the coming days," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed.
Reports that the IAEA cannot carry out the rotation of its mission at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant were made on February 5, February 12, and February 16. It was reported by journalist Rikard Jozwiak of "Radio Free Europe" that at the end of the month, agency employees managed to leave the station's territory through areas occupied by Russia, presumably through Crimea, which was also stated by Russian propaganda media.