Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has again urged Russia to withdraw from the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant. He again warned of the consequences of a possible nuclear disaster. The international community must act because it is at risk from Russia’s terror. “If the world doesn’t gather the strength and determination now to protect a nuclear facility, it means the world loses,” Zelenskyy said.
“Any radioactive incident at the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant could also be a blow to the states of the European Union and to Turkey and Georgia and to the states of more distant regions,” the head of state emphasized in his video message on Monday evening. “Everything depends only on the direction and strength of the wind.”
The largest nuclear power plant in Europe, occupied by Russia, has been under fire for days. Ukraine and Russia blame each other for this. Zelenskyy said Russia should withdraw from the nuclear power plant without conditions. At the same time, he reiterated his weekend demands for sanctions against the Russian nuclear company Rosatom and the entire nuclear industry of the “terrorist state”.
“Nuclear Terror”
Ukraine accuses Russia of ‘nuclear terrorism’ with the shelling. Crew representative Vladimir Rogov said Ukrainian “terrorists” would fire the shots. He had also proposed a ceasefire. However, Russia rejects the transfer of the nuclear power plant to Ukraine, as requested by 42 countries. According to Kiev, it has already attacked the power plant site with combat drones.
The situation surrounding the power plant was also the subject of a discussion between Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres. The conditions for safe operation of the nuclear power plant were discussed, the ministry announced in Moscow on Monday. The United Nations in New York confirmed the call. Details were not given.
UN contradicts Kremlin
Russia had accused the UN of suspending an already agreed visit by experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) at the last minute. The United Nations has now officially rejected Moscow’s claim. Contrary to what Moscow has said, the United Nations would not have prevented or blocked an IAEA operation. “The UN Secretariat has no authority to block or cancel IAEA activities,” UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in New York on Monday. The IAEA acts independently.
Dujarric stressed that Ukraine could protect an IAEA mission from Ukraine-controlled territory. Nevertheless, an agreement must be reached between Russia and Ukraine, after all, the power plant is currently on Russian-controlled territory. Lately, there has been disagreement about what the IAEA experts’ itinerary might look like. A mission that goes exclusively through Russian-occupied territory – such as the Black Sea peninsula in Crimea – would not allow Ukraine.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
