The U.N. Tuesday’s nuclear head emphasized that the absence of a nuclear disaster in Ukraine is a blessing for the entire world and urged Moscow and Kyiv to agree to protect Europe’s largest nuclear power plant from any attack and take additional precautions “to avoid the danger of a catastrophic incident.”
Rafael Grossi reaffirmed this before the U.N. he said to the board of governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency in March: “We are rolling the dice, and if this continues, then one day our luck will run out.”
At the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station, where fighting has disrupted essential power supplies seven times, most recently last week, the IAEA director general said preventing a nuclear catastrophe is achievable provided five rules are followed.
This plant is “the last line of defense” from nuclear accidents.
Grossi “respectfully and solemnly” requested that Russia and Ukraine uphold the principles, announcing that IAEA experts at Zaporizhzhia will begin monitoring and that he will publicly report on any infractions:
— Ban attacks from or against the plant, especially targeting reactors and spent fuel storage areas.
— Ban the storage of heavy weapons or the presence of military personnel that could be used for an attack.
— Ensure the security of an uninterrupted off-site power supply to the plant.
— Protect “all structures, systems, and components” essential to the plant’s operation from attacks or sabotage.
— Take no action to undermine these principles.
In his appeal to the 15 members of the Security Council, Grossi emphasized that the five principles are “to no one’s detriment and everyone’s benefit.”
Immediately following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the Kremlin’s forces seized control of the plant.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the president of Ukraine, is opposed to any plan that would give Russia more authority.
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