Postponement of IAEA Director's Visit to Russia

It was reported by the Russian news agency on Monday that the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, will not travel to Russia this week, but a visit is likely to happen in the near future, according to Moscow’s permanent representative to international organizations in Vienna. Grossi announced on Saturday that he would visit the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which is under Russian control in Ukraine, this week to assess the serious situation there. The Russian news agency cited permanent representative Mikhail Ulyanov, who, in response to a question about whether Russia intends to invite Grossi to Moscow soon, stated that it is "very realistic." Ulyanov added, "Not next week but later... Rafael Grossi's visit to Russia is likely to happen later." Grossi is calling for the establishment of a security zone around the Zaporizhzhia plant, which has been subjected to repeated shelling during the war initiated by Russia against Ukraine thirteen months ago. Zaporizhzhia is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe, featuring six nuclear reactors.