Zelenski accuses Russia of trying to “mislead” IAEA mission in Zaporiyia

Latest news on the war pitting Russia and Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelenski expects the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) mission to make an “objective” analysis of the situation at the Zaporiyia nuclear power plant, although he has accused Russian forces of doing everything possible to hinder its work and “mislead” the experts.

Zelenski has attributed to Russia all kinds of “provocations” in recent days and has defended that, on the other hand, Ukraine “has done everything possible” so that IAEA experts could arrive this Thursday at the largest nuclear power plant in Europe.

“We have clear evidence that Russia has done all sorts of things to mislead the mission,” Zelenski said in his evening address to the nation, in which he denounced, for example, “intimidation” of citizens of the town of Energodar.

He also assured that when he met in Kiev with IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi and his team, it was agreed that this delegation would be accompanied by “independent journalists”, “so that the world could see the truth”.

However, this has not been the case. “The occupiers did not allow the journalists to enter and took away a group of propagandists,” said Zelenski, who also accused the international agency of “not protecting” the press.

The president has insisted on the need to “demilitarize” the plant, controlled by Russian troops since the beginning of March and has asked Grossi to also launch appeals in this direction, because he would have conveyed this to him at the meeting in Kiev, prior to the transfer of the mission to Zaporiyia.