The systematic documenting by IAEA experts of violations that occur in the operation of critical Ukrainian NPPs after russian shelling is extremely important for further holding the aggressor accountable for the threats to nuclear safety. This was emphasised by Minister of Energy German Galushchenko in an interview with a TV channel.

“I do not expect the russians to stop. Unfortunately, I do not expect them to. But, at least, we are doing our best to record these violations. After all, the time will come when they will be held accountable for all this. Therefore, this documenting is important, especially when we talk about the IAEA mission, about experts from around the world who are visiting substations today,” the Minister explained.

The head of the Ministry of Energy stressed that russia was exposing the world to nuclear danger by attacking Ukrainian energy facilities, in particular substations that transmit electricity generated at nuclear power plants. At the same time, numerous IAEA resolutions and decisions of the agency’s governing bodies calling for an end to the aggression in Ukraine are ignored by russia.

In December, at an extraordinary meeting initiated by Ukraine, the IAEA Board of Governors adopted a resolution on the inadmissibility of russian attacks on critical infrastructure for nuclear power plant operations. However, the very next day after the adoption of this document, russia struck again at the substations.

German Galushchenko stressed that in such circumstances, the work of IAEA missions to substations critical to the operation of Ukrainian NPPs, which was the result of agreements between President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi, was of great importance.