Ukraine calls on IAEA to force russia to stop criminal attacks on civilian energy infrastructure and occupation of Zaporizhzhia NPP

Minister of Energy of Ukraine German Galushchenko called on all IAEA member states to join forces to give a powerful and unanimous response to the russian Federation for the criminal attacks on civilian energy infrastructure and the occupation of the Zaporizhzhia NPP.

“Over the past year, Ukraine has suffered unprecedented russian attacks on its energy system, causing serious destruction and damage. We have lost the lives of our brave soldiers who defended our country, the lives of our power engineers who restored power equipment after the russian attacks and ensured the reliable operation of nuclear power plants, the lives of civilians and children – the future of Ukraine. But we continue to stand and resist this evil of the 21st century,” said German Galushchenko, speaking at the 68th IAEA General Conference in Vienna.

According to him, while the whole world is moving towards sustainable development, developing nuclear technologies and commissioning new nuclear generating capacities, russia is barbarically destroying the Ukrainian Zaporizhzhia NPP, continues to militarise the plant and adjacent occupied territories, using them as a cover for artillery strikes on the territory controlled by Ukraine and settlements, violating the basics of nuclear safety and all protection principles.

“How much longer will we observe russia’s deliberate violation of the IAEA Statute, deliberate repeated disregard for the resolutions of the IAEA Board of Governors and the General Conference? russia does not deserve a privileged status within the Agency and its Board of Governors. It is deliberately creating unprecedented nuclear danger and insecurity,” the Minister stressed.

German Galushchenko thanked the IAEA and personally Director General Rafael Grossi for the rapid implementation of the recent decision to launch monitoring missions at Ukrainian substations that are critical for nuclear power plants.

He recalled that during the latest massive attack on Ukraine’s civilian energy infrastructure on 26 August, russia used 236 strike weapons, including 127 missiles and 109 drones. The attack was aimed, in particular, at generation facilities, power lines and substations critical to Ukrainian nuclear power plants.

The Energy Minister said that everything must be done to prevent any military threat to the peaceful use of nuclear energy in the future.