UN nuclear watchdog chief pushes back on Moscow’s calls for objectivity after Kursk plant visit

• "What we need to do is to objectively, not to stoke any hysteria or anything like that, but to indicate when a danger exists. And here it does. It objectively [exists]," Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, told CNBC's "Squawk Box Europe" on Thursday.
• His comments come after Russia on Wednesday urged more objectivity from the IAEA in the performance of its duties.
• Last week, Russia accused Ukraine of attempting a drone strike at the Kursk nuclear plant during a lightning cross-border incursion under way since early August, which Moscow is still trying to repel.

The head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog has pushed back against Moscow's calls for further objectivity, following an inspection at the nuclear facility in the embattled Russian region of Kursk.

Last week, Russia accused Ukraine of attempting a drone strike at the Kursk nuclear plant during a lightning cross-border incursion that has been under way since early August and which Moscow is still trying to repel.

CNBC could not independently verify the incident and has reached out to the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

"What we need to do is to objectively, not to stoke any hysteria or anything like that, but to indicate when a danger exists. And here it does. It objectively [exists]," Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, told CNBC's "Squawk Box Europe" on Thursday.

"The spokesperson of the Russian ministry of foreign affairs rightly says, be objective. Yes, we are being objective. We are saying here that this nuclear power plant ... is within range of a potential artillery strike, which means that the danger exists. Is this danger inherent to the technology? Absolutely not," he said,