Russia and the International Atomic Energy Agency engage in new discussions regarding the security of the Zaporizhzhia atomic facility as violence in the area escalates again

Russia's President Vladimir Putin was photographed meeting with international news agency representatives on June 4, 2026, at the Constantine Palace in Saint Petersburg, on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, in a pool photograph distributed by the Russian state agency Sputnik.

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The meeting was not directly related to the recent high-level consultations between Russia and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) regarding the safety and security of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), which took place on July 10, 2026, in Kaliningrad.

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Moscow has alleged an escalation of attacks around the ZNPP facility and is urging the UN nuclear watchdog to publicly condemn these incidents, with the Russian delegation at the consultations including representatives from the country's nuclear regulator, Rostechnadzor, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

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The 13th round of interagency consultations was led by ROSATOM Director General Alexey Likhachev and IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi, focusing on nuclear safety and security at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, Europe's largest nuclear facility.

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Discussions centred on the intensification of attacks around the plant, the nearby city of Energodar, and surrounding areas since the end of April, with Likhachev claiming that Ukrainian forces were increasingly targeting the area and intimidating plant workers.

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According to Likhachev, the reported attacks have resulted in seven deaths, including one employee of the nuclear plant, while 40 others have been injured, prompting him to call on the IAEA to publicly assess what he described as repeated attacks on the facility.

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The absence of international condemnation, Likhachev argued, could encourage further actions that threaten nuclear safety, and the consultations also reviewed the status of electricity supply to the plant following repairs to the high-voltage Dneprovskaya transmission line.

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Significant repair work was carried out by the Ministry of Defence, Rosgvardia, Rosseti specialists, and plant personnel to restore the line, although Moscow said it had yet to be re-energised from the Ukrainian-controlled side.

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Another key issue discussed was the continued deployment of IAEA experts at the facility and arrangements for their regular rotation, as well as measures to improve reporting on conditions at the plant and in Energodar.

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Both sides agreed on the importance of maintaining regular dialogue on issues relating to the safety and security of the nuclear power station, which has remained one of the most sensitive facilities in the conflict.

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The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant has been at the centre of the Russia-Ukraine conflict since Russian forces took control of the site in 2022, with the IAEA consistently calling for restraint by all parties and maintaining a permanent monitoring mission at the site.