Svitlana Grynchuk: Occupation by russians of ZNPP is an act of nuclear piracy threatening the entire world

Ukraine’s Energy Minister Svitlana Grynchuk participated in the 69th session of the IAEA General Conference in Vienna, where she urged the international community to take urgent measures to prevent further escalation at Ukraine’s nuclear power plants due to russia’s criminal actions.

“The russian occupation of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) is an act of nuclear piracy that threatens not only Ukraine but the entire world. It is essential to ensure full access for IAEA experts to all areas of the plant and to establish an international mechanism to control the ZNPP, ensuring its demilitarization and return to Ukraine’s sovereign control,” emphasized the Energy Minister.

Svitlana Grynchuk highlighted that russia’s actions are incompatible with nuclear safety and security culture, violate international norms and the IAEA Statute, undermine trust in the international safeguards system, and create ongoing risks for Ukraine, Europe, and the world. In this context, Ukraine opposed russia’s inclusion in the IAEA Board of Governors.

The Minister noted that the ZNPP is currently operating under conditions of non-design-basis threats. The primary water supply source for reactor cooling has been destroyed, and the plant has completely lost external power supply nine times. Due to ongoing russian shelling, only one of the ten power transmission lines is currently operational, increasing the risk of a complete blackout.

“Any attempts by russia to introduce new, unverified management systems at the plant should be regarded as using the ZNPP as a military tool and a deliberate escalation of nuclear safety threats,” stressed Svitlana Grynchuk.

According to her, since the beginning of the year, over 500 russian drone and missile overflights have been recorded in the 30-kilometer observation zones around Ukraine’s nuclear power plants. Since the start of the full-scale invasion, russia’s deliberate attacks have caused 13 instances of complete loss of external power supply to Ukraine’s nuclear facilities.

“The world cannot tolerate nuclear blackmail. We call on all IAEA member states to stand united, provide a decisive and coordinated response, and reaffirm that peace, security, and international law must prevail without exception. Nuclear energy must never be turned into a weapon of war,” added the Minister.

The Ministry of Energy expressed gratitude to the IAEA and its Director General Rafael Grossi for their continuous presence at Ukraine’s nuclear power plants, support for their safe operation, and the deployment of monitoring missions at energy facilities.