Reports of incidents near nuclear facilities in Ukraine and Russia have alarmed UN officials, echoing earlier warnings from IAEA Chief Rafael Grossi about potential threats to these sites in both countries.
ADVERTISEMENTMiroslav Jenča, Assistant Secretary-General for Europe, Central Asia, and the Americas, said "we are alarmed regarding reported incidents around nuclear facilities in Ukraine and Russia" during the Security Council meeting on Wednesday.
In August, a drone strike near a plant’s perimeter, a fire that caused significant damage to a cooling tower, and ongoing military activity close to the site have raised serious concerns, according to Jenča. He also mentioned growing worries about the safety of Russia's Kursk Nuclear Power Plant, where drone debris was found on the premises.
Robert A. Wood, the UN's Alternate Representative of the US for Special Political Affairs, criticised the Kremlin for jeopardising the safety of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. He called on Russia to heed the demands of over a hundred UN General Assembly members and return control of the plant to Ukrainian authorities.
Wood reaffirmed the US unwavering support for Ukraine, highlighting recent security agreements and international support through the Ukraine Compact with NATO allies.
Russian representative Dmitry Polyanskiy said, “Russian forces are clearing the last strongholds held by Ukrainian forces since 2014. This is just the beginning; Ukraine will have to pay for the Kursk adventure in full.”
Ukraine's Permanent Representative to the UN, Sergiy Kyslytsya, provided an account of the ongoing devastation in Ukraine.
“For over two years, Ukraine has been withstanding the largest aerial terror in human history,” Kyslytsya said, detailing the extensive missile, drone, and bomb attacks carried out by Russia. Kyslytsya described Russia’s actions as indicative of a “criminal regime” with no regard for human life or morality, both within its own borders and internationally."