During the March session of the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), 47 IAEA Member States delivered a joint statement marking the third anniversary of Russia's illegal occupation of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP).
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.
In their statement, the Member States called on the Russian Federation 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 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 statement reads.
The Statement draws 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.
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, concern is expressed 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.
As a reminder, in early March, the IAEA experts left the Zaporizhzhia NPP via a route that was not agreed upon with the Ukrainian side. Ukraine views the IAEA's actions as a humanitarian evacuation in the face of a threat to the lives and health of Agency employees. This situation is the result of Russian blackmail and systematic attempts to impose illegal and contradictory mechanisms of activity on international organizations in the temporarily occupied territories.
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.
