IAEA director general to visit Ukraine and Russia next week

That is according to the IAEA website, Ukrinform reports.

As noted, Director General Grossi “will visit Kyiv and Russia next week as part of his regular contacts with both sides to ensure nuclear safety and security during the conflict”.

The published statement notes that the off-site power situation at Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) “remains extremely fragile”, which is currently relying on just one single power line.

In addition, the IAEA experts present at the plant heard the sounds of military activities at different distances from the ZNPP during most days of last week.

The IAEA teams at the Khmelnytskyi, Rivne and South Ukrainian NPPs also reported signs of military activities near the plants.

“The IAEA teams at these sites also continued to hear indications of military activities nearby. At the South Ukraine NPP, the IAEA staff members saw a drone being shot at by anti-aircraft fire in the evening of 23 May. The plant reported that 10 drones were observed 2.5 km south of the site on the same evening. At the Chornobyl site, two drones were reported flying five km from the site, also on 23 May.  The IAEA team at the Khmelnytskyy NPP was required to shelter onsite on Monday this week,” the report said.

As reported by Ukrinform, on May 27, Greenpeace reported that the Russian occupation administration begun constructing a high-voltage power line in the temporarily occupied territories of Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk regions. This line, running along the northern coast of the Sea of Azov, is intended to directly connect the occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) to the Russian power grid.

As of May 23, 2025, approximately 90 km of the power line has been completed, with poles installed, and construction is ongoing.

In response, the Permanent Mission of Ukraine to the International Organizations in Vienna sent a note verbale to the IAEA Secretariat, condemning Russia’s clear intent to integrate the occupied ZNPP into the Russian power grid and restart its operations without authorization.