TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog Rafael Grossi arrived in Russia on Friday, June 6, 2025, to discuss with Alexey Likhachev, the head of the Russian nuclear company Rosatom. According to Rosatom's press service, the meeting held at Khrabrovo Airport, Kaliningrad, focused on nuclear safety.
As reported by Anadolu, Likhachev was accompanied by the Russian permanent representative to international organizations in Vienna, Mikhail Ulyanov, and the head of the Radiological, Chemical, and Biological Protection Forces, Aleksey Rtishchev.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) delegation included the IAEA deputy director-general and Massimo Apuzzo, head of the Security Department.
As reported by Strat News Global, Russia requested the assistance of the UN nuclear watchdog to mediate discussions with the United States regarding the handling of American nuclear fuel stored in Ukrainian power plants currently under Russian control.
Russia aims to restart the non-operational Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, It is located near the frontline of the conflict in Ukraine, which used to generate one-fifth of the country's electricity. Fuel issues are among the many obstacles.
Rafael Grossi stated that restarting the power plant is currently unfeasible due to a lack of a stable power supply and water for cooling.
IAEA inspectors reported hearing gunfire and repeated explosions near the facility, incidents likely related to drone activity, emphasizing the increased risks posed by military operations around the power plant.
After meeting with Grossi last Friday, Russian nuclear energy chief Alexei Likhachev stated that Russia is willing to use the fuel supplied by the U.S. company Westinghouse or to remove it entirely and return it to the United States.
However, there are still questions about the intellectual property claims Westinghouse and the United States have made. Westinghouse and U.S. energy officials have previously expressed concerns about intellectual property to Russia concerning the fuel problem.
On the other hand, Russia and Ukraine accuse each other of shelling the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, the largest in Europe, thereby increasing the risk of a serious accident.
Likhachev stated that Russia has prepared a "comprehensive plan" to commission the plant gradually, but the plan can only be implemented if all military threats are removed.
The nuclear facility was occupied by Russia in March 2022, shortly after its forces entered Ukraine at the onset of the war. The facility has six reactors, the last of which ceased power generation in September 2022.
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