Today at 01:09
During the March session of the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency, 47 IAEA member states issued a joint statement on the third anniversary of Russia’s illegal occupation of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine said this in a statement, Ukrinform reports.
In their statement, the IAEA member states reaffirmed their strong support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and firmly condemned Russia’s illegal seizure of the ZNPP, as well as Russia’s attacks on Ukraine’s nuclear infrastructure.
The states called on Russia to immediately cease any military actions that threaten nuclear safety of Ukraine, as well as the entire region. They also emphasized the importance of strict adherence to the IAEA’s “Seven Indispensable Pillars for ensuring nuclear safety and security during armed conflict” and the Five Concrete Principles for protecting the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, as outlined by the IAEA Director General.
“Russia’s presence at Ukraine’s ZNPP compromises the DG’s ‘seven indispensable pillars for nuclear safety and security in an armed conflict,’ has led to the plant’s ongoing technical degradation, and continues to present serious nuclear safety and security risks to the broader region,” the document reads.
The signatories drew attention to the continued threats to nuclear safety arising from Russia’s military aggression. These include Russian attacks on Ukraine’s critical energy infrastructure, including electrical substations that ensure the stable power supply to Ukrainian nuclear power plants.
The statement recalled the recent Russian drone strike at the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant, which caused a fire at the New Safe Confinement — the structure covering the damaged fourth reactor of the Chornobyl NPP.
The IAEA member states stressed the importance of the Agency’s activities in monitoring nuclear safety in Ukraine and called on the international community to continue supporting Ukraine. The statement underscores the need for the continued physical presence of the IAEA experts at the ZNPP and other nuclear facilities in Ukraine, as well as for ensuring the Agency’s unhindered access for independent monitoring of the situation.
In this context, the IAEA member states expressed concern about the latest rotation of IAEA experts from the ZNPP. The exceptional nature of the situation is highlighted, and Russia’s malicious actions that deliberately hinder the IAEA’s operations in Ukraine and place unprecedented pressure on the Agency’s staff in a high-risk environment are condemned. The statement calls on all IAEA Member States to support the Agency’s authority, independence, and impartiality.
In turn, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized that Ukraine highly appreciates international solidarity and support from partners in countering Russian threats to nuclear safety and will continue to make every effort to return the ZNPP to full control of the competent Ukrainian authorities.
The statement was made by Canada on behalf of the following countries: Albania, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, the United Kingdom, Denmark, Estonia, Georgia, Greece, Ireland, Iceland, Spain, Italy, Canada, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Netherlands, Germany, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Romania, San Marino, Singapore, Slovenia, Ukraine, Uruguay, Finland, France, Croatia, Sweden, Switzerland, Montenegro, Chile, Czech Republic, and Japan.
ZNPP has been under Russian occupation since March 4, 2022. In September, the plant completely stopped generating electricity. Russian troops and military equipment are located on the territory of the nuclear facility. The station’s external power supply lines were repeatedly damaged due to shelling.
In June 2023, the Russians blew up the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant. Due to the destruction of the Kakhovka reservoir, ZNPP has enough water for cooling only when operating in a cold shutdown state.
