At the March meeting of the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), 47 member states of the Agency issued a joint statement on nuclear safety, security, and safeguards in Ukraine.
In their statement, the IAEA member states reaffirmed their support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity and condemned Russia's illegal occupation of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) as well as attacks on Ukraine's nuclear infrastructure.
"Ukrainian nuclear facilities must operate safely and securely under Ukraine's full sovereign control," the statement reads.
Key points from the statement include:
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The member states call for Russia to immediately cease military actions against Ukrainian nuclear facilities, their infrastructure, and related facilities that pose a threat to nuclear and radiation safety.
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They note that the occupation of ZNPP has led to the technical degradation of the plant and poses serious threats to safety and security in the broader region, stressing that all reactors at ZNPP must remain in cold shutdown mode.
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They highlight that Ukrainian nuclear facilities are being damaged due to Russian attacks. Specifically, the attack by a Russian drone on the shelter at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant jeopardized decades of international efforts to ensure the safe and reliable management of a site affected by one of the world’s most dangerous nuclear disasters.
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They condemn Russia's actions to hinder the work of the IAEA in Ukraine.
In accordance with previous resolutions of the IAEA Board of Governors and the General Conference, the countries called on Russia to withdraw all unauthorized military and supporting personnel from the Zaporizhzhia NPP and return the plant to full control of Ukraine's competent regulatory authorities.
"Ukraine is grateful for the support from our partners in our fight against the crimes of the aggressor state, which pose a severe threat to nuclear safety in our country and worldwide. Russia must be held accountable for these crimes, and the punishment must be fair and irreversible," stated the Head of the Ukrainian Delegation to the IAEA, Minister of Energy of Ukraine, Herman Halushchenko.
The full text of the statement can be found here:
