IAEA seeks release of Ukraine’s nuclear plant head

The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has called for the release of the director-general of Ukraine’s Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.

Ihor Murashov, head of the nuclear plant was detained on Friday by a Russian patrol.

“IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi expressed the hope that Mr. Murashov will return to his family safely and promptly and will be able to resume his important functions at the plant,” the agency tweeted late on Saturday.

The IAEA has been in contact with relevant authorities seeking clarifications on his temporary detention, which it said had a “very significant impact” on him and nuclear safety and security standards.

Grossi is expected to hold talks in Moscow and Kyiv next week on the creation of a protection zone around the Zaporizhzhia plant, the watchdog said on Saturday.

Also Read: IAEA demands Russia’s withdrawal from Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant 

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Sunday that Grossi had assured him in a telephone call that the IAEA would spare “no effort to ensure the release of ZNPP director abducted by Russia”.

Kuleba also said that Ukraine was ready to facilitate the rotation of IAEA experts at the Zaporizhzhia station.

“I stressed that Russia must withdraw troops and military equipment from the station,” Kuleba said on Twitter.

Several IAEA experts have been working at the power station since early September.

Zainab Sa’id