Ukraine warns of nuclear disaster risk, calls for IAEA measures
Ukraine has called on the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to adopt stricter measures against Russia for its attempts to provoke a nuclear accident by targeting substations critical to the operation of nuclear power plants, according to Ukrinform.
The statement was issued by Ukraine’s Minister of Energy, Herman Halushchenko, during a meeting with EU ambassadors in Vienna, Austria, as reported by a Ukrinform correspondent.
"It is crucial that stricter measures are implemented against Russia. Otherwise, it appears to be a waste of time. Following the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) emphasis on the importance of these plants, the frequency of attacks has risen. Another wave of massive strikes highlights the severity of the situation," Halushchenko emphasised.
He pointed out that, on November 17, Russia deliberately targeted critical substations identified by the IAEA as vital for the safety of nuclear power plants.
"Power outages or the forced shutdown of nuclear power plants are among their top priorities. Consequently, the risk of nuclear accidents is alarmingly high," Halushchenko warned.
According to him, a catastrophic scenario was averted due to Ukraine’s air defences and the coordinated efforts of Ukrainian energy engineers. However, Russia persists in its efforts to dismantle critical energy infrastructure essential to nuclear power operations.
The Ukrainian official also elaborated on Thursday’s Russian attack, which brought the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant to the brink of losing electricity for the second time within a week.
On Thursday morning, one of the two power lines supplying the Zaporizhzhia plant was disabled by Russian shelling. Should the remaining line be disconnected, Europe’s largest nuclear power plant would experience a total power failure.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
