NEWYORK: The United States and its allies slammed Russia on Friday at the UN for the assault on Ukraine’s largest nuclear power plant on 4th March. Several leaders urged that Moscow not allow such an action to occur again.
Concern and horror were voiced by several of the 15 Security Council representatives, who warned of the dangers of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster in Ukraine, which was then part of the Soviet Union.
It must not happen again.
— UK at the UN 🇬🇧 (@UKUN_NewYork) March 4, 2022
Even in the midst of an illegal invasion of Ukraine, Russia must protect the safety and security of nuclear sites.
🇬🇧@BWoodward_UN tells 🇺🇳#UNSC meeting on the reckless attack on the #Zaporizhzhia power plant in #Ukraine pic.twitter.com/MgafTRtnAb
India attaches highest importance to ensuring safety & security of nuclear facilities as any accident involving the #nuclear facilities may have severe consequences for public health and the environment: @ambtstirumurti tells emergency #UNSC session on Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/PCxryemNIo
— Yoshita Singh योषिता सिंह (@Yoshita_Singh) March 4, 2022
Urgent #UNSC meeting today on #Russia's attack on #Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant in #Ukraine.
— SwedenUN 🇸🇪 (@SwedenUN) March 4, 2022
🇸🇪 condemns the Russian military aggression against 🇺🇦 & demands that all parties fully comply with their obligations under int’l humanitarian law to spare the civilian population. pic.twitter.com/BlNXQMTKHd
Moscow has been advised to cease from military activities against nuclear facilities and give Ukrainian workers access to the facility, since the strike violated international humanitarian law, according to the UN.
US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield summoned an emergency meeting of the Security Council that the world “narrowly dodged a nuclear catastrophe” following the seizure of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station in southern Ukraine by Russian soldiers.
Ukraine has accused the Kremlin of “nuclear terror,” and the West reacted angrily on Friday after invading Russian forces attacked and captured Europe’s largest nuclear power facility and bombed key towns in the country.
An emergency UN Security Council meeting was called after fighting and a fire broke out at the Zaporizhzhia facility, and President Vladimir Putin indicated Moscow was ready for negotiations — if all of Russia’s demands were satisfied first.
Despite the incident at a training facility, the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant’s six reactors appear to have been unaffected. Nothing abnormal was seen on the monitors. However, the strike claimed the lives of three Ukrainian troops, according to Kyiv’s nuclear operator Energoatom, and was vehemently criticised as absolutely reckless by Western capitals, NATO, and environmental organisations.
Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelensky remarked, “We survived a night that could have halted the tale, the history of Ukraine, the history of Europe.”
To use his own words, the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear tragedy, an explosion at Zaporizhzhia would have been like “six Chernobyls.”
“The terrorist state has now resorted to nuclear terror,” Zelensky claimed, adding that Russian tank commanders “knew what they were shooting at.”
Rumoured involvement of foreign mercenaries in the attack on Zaporizhzhia came from “Ukrainian sabotage gangs,” according to spokesperson for the Russian Defence Ministry Igor Konashenkov.
There is no criminal plan in Kyiv, he claims, adding that Russian forces have guarded the factory and it is operating smoothly.
Boris Johnson, the British prime minister, accused Putin of “reckless acts” that might “threaten the safety of all of Europe” after calling Zelensky in the middle of the night.
When asked about the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station, Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby declared there had been “no leaking of radioactive material.” Kirby said the Pentagon could not comment on the plant’s current operational state or if the Russians control it. Kirby added that the Department of Defence and the Department of Energy are working together to respond to the issue.
To help the DOE, Kirby added, “we’re offering some advice and counsel because we have expertise running nuclear power facilities in the Department of Defence.” “Excessively risky” was Kirby’s assessment of the attack.
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