IAEA rules out that Ukraine develops nuclear weapons, as Russia insinuates

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) ruled out that Ukraine is developing nuclear weapons, as Russia alleges to justify, among other things, its invasion of the neighboring country.

“For us this matter is very clear. We have no information that calls into question Ukraine’s (nuclear) non-proliferation credentials.”, said the director general of the IAEA, Rafael Grossi.

“We have no information on any diversion of any type of undeclared material or activities aimed at developing nuclear weapons (in Ukraine)”, assured the head of the IAEA.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Wednesday that the Russian military offensive is aimed at disarming Ukraine and preventing it from acquiring a nuclear weapon.

“We cannot allow the presence of offensive weapons in Ukraine that threaten our security”, added the head of Russian diplomacy, according to the Russian news agency Ria.

The IAEA Board of Governors is holding a special meeting in Vienna between this Wednesday and tomorrow (Thursday) focused on the situation of nuclear facilities in Ukraine amid the current Russian offensive.

Grossi warned the delegates of the Board of the danger that a deliberate or involuntary attack against one of the four nuclear plants and other atomic facilities in the country could cause a disaster.

At the same time, he qualified by recalling that “Russia has repeated that they have no plans to attack (nuclear) facilities” in Ukraine.

“I am in contact with Russia and this issue is a central part of our talks and I am convinced that this (an attack) will never happen.”, he added.

“Of course, we must be active to ensure that an unintended or accidental problem does not occur and that is always a possibility as long as there is a conflict.Grossi concluded.

In Ukraine there are four nuclear plants, with 15 reactors, in addition to the old Chernobyl plant, scene of the worst atomic accident in history, in 1986.

In the first seven days of the conflict, there were already several incidents in the surroundings of nuclear installations, without causing any type of radiation emission.