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The move is part of the agency's efforts to prevent nuclear accidents and provide technical assistance if needed amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, according to the IAEA Director General.
On Wednesday, the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, announced that an expert mission had begun work at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine.
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"[The IAEA] continues to expand its presence in Ukraine. Today, I launched the IAEA Support and Assistance Mission to Chornobyl (ISAMICH)," Grossi said via Twitter.
According to the agency's Director General, the plan is to maintain a permanent presence of IAEA experts at all Ukrainian NPPs to "provide vital nuclear safety assistance in these extremely difficult and challenging times."
Today, at a briefing following negotiations with Ukrainian Prime Minister Denis Shmygal in Kiev, Grossi said that the agency intends to keep IAEA experts in Ukraine for as long as the country's authorities deem necessary.
According to the official, the missions to Ukrainian nuclear power plants should last until the end of the conflict, including a certain period afterward.
Last week, the IAEA Director General announced he would visit Ukraine. At the time, Grossi said the agency planned to keep about 11–12 experts in the country permanently.
IAEA missions have already been deployed to other nuclear facilities, such as the South Ukraine NPP and the Rivne NPP.
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