IAEA experts to inspect 2 nuclear facilities in Ukraine in coming days

BERLIN. Oct 25 (Interfax) - International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors plan to visit two nuclear facilities in Ukraine in the coming days at Kiev's request, the agency's Director General Rafael Grossi said.

"The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is aware of statements made by the Russian Federation on Sunday about alleged activities at two nuclear locations in Ukraine. The IAEA received a written request from Ukraine today to send teams of inspectors to carry out verification activities at the two locations [...] and the IAEA is preparing to visit the locations in the coming days," Grossi said in a statement published on the IAEA website.

"The purpose of the safeguards visits is to detect any possible undeclared nuclear activities and material," he said.

Both facilities are subject to IAEA guarantees and are regularly visited by the agency's inspectors, Grossi said, without specifying the locations.