(ANSA) - ROME, JAN 17 - The presence of inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Ukrainian nuclear power plants will not prevent a nuclear disaster: says Renat Karchaa, adviser to the CEO of Rosenergoatom, the Russian agency that manages the country's nuclear power plants.
"The IAEA has neither the legal power, nor the technological or other capacity to avert a nuclear catastrophe in the event of artillery or MLRS (Multiple Launch Rocket Systems, ed.) attacks, or air attacks on nuclear power plants," he said. Karchaa told the TASS news agency as he commented on the IAEA's intentions to have an on-site presence in Ukraine.
"So, from this point of view, the presence of the IAEA in every nuclear power plant would not be very effective, but rather (it would be) politically motivated," he added.
According to Karchaa, currently it would be much more important to monitor and control the amount of fissile materials in nuclear plants.
Russia has repeatedly warned the international community of the threat of using so-called dirty nuclear bombs.
(HANDLE).