emergency meeting
On the night of August 12 (Moscow time), an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council was held in New York. The Russian Federation demanded that the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant be rounded up due to the incessant bombardment by Ukrainian troops.
The first to speak was Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Expressing that the situation could become disastrous at any moment, he called for an end to hostilities threatening the nuclear power plant.
“In this difficult hour, in the dark hour, the IAEA mission must be allowed to enter Zaporozhye as soon as possible,” Grossi said.
Nebenzi’s performance
Responsibility for a possible disaster at the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) will be borne by Ukraine’s “Western sponsors”. This was expressed by the Permanent Representative of Russia Vasily Nebenzya.
The accusations from Kiev that the station was bombed by the Russian army, the diplomat called nonsense, cynicism and compared it to insanity.
“The Zaporozhye NPP is controlled by the Russian armed forces. The basic logic suggests that our army had no reason to bombard neither the station, nor the city, nor themselves, ”the statement said.
Nebenzya added that Moscow expects the IAEA delegation to visit Energodar “as soon as possible” before the end of this month. He also expressed hope that the UN would not interfere with the visit of nuclear experts to nuclear power plants.
“Kiev’s murderous attacks on nuclear infrastructure facilities are pushing the world to the brink of a nuclear disaster comparable to Chernobyl,” said the permanent representative of the Russian Federation.
The Dnieper, Donetsk and Luhansk people’s republics, Russia’s western borders and most regions of Ukraine in the southeast of Belarus, Moldova, Bulgaria and Romania will be at risk of radioactive contamination, he noted.
Nebenzya also addressed the representatives of Western countries on the political scope and rationale for Ukraine’s actions.
“About Kyiv, as they say: good or nothing. What this means in practice
That Kiev still has clear jurisdiction for any crime. Instead of calling spades shovels, by displaying blatant double standards and miracles of resourcefulness, you try not to cast a shadow of responsibility on the obviously guilty Kiev of the bombardment. This shows your irresponsibility,” he said.
Reminding once again that the Russian army is protecting the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant, Nebenzya reminded that “as I said before, the Kyiv regime defends its attacks on this nuclear facility by repelling it in coordination with the plant personnel” every day.
“Thanks to their efforts, it has so far been possible to protect the station’s key facilities and prevent a nuclear disaster. We know what the Kyiv regime is capable of, and the world has already been able to confirm this. Those who propose the withdrawal of Russian troops should be aware of the consequences that this facility will be left unguarded and can be used by Kyiv and nationalist groups for the most disgusting provocations,” he said.
Opinions of other countries
US Ambassador to the UN, Under-Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security, Bonnie Jenkins, said Russia was “the only person to provoke these risks by launching a full-scale invasion”.
According to the American side, only the Russian Federation can eliminate the ZNPP threat by withdrawing its troops from the territory of Ukraine. The American described the crisis around Europe’s largest nuclear power plant as “another tragic consequence of Russia’s aggression against an independent state.”
Washington claims that the Ukrainian side bears not the slightest responsibility for the bombing of the ZNPP.
In addition, the United States supports Kiev’s proposal to create a demilitarized zone around the nuclear power plant and return it to Ukraine’s full control.
Jenkins added that Washington also favors sending IAEA inspectors to Zaporozhye as soon as possible. “This visit cannot be postponed any longer,” said the Deputy Foreign Minister.
The permanent representatives of Great Britain and France, acting in a similar spirit to their American counterparts, blamed Russia for the crisis, which launched military special operations.
Ukraine position
Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the UN, Serhiy Kislitsa, was the only person present at the meeting who directly accused Russia of bombing the territory of the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant under its control.
The Ukrainian diplomat said the bombing was “staged and designed to discredit Ukraine”. He also noted that the Russian Federation “stuffed the nuclear power plant with military personnel and weapons” and equipped positions on its territory to bombard the opposite bank of the Dnieper.
The Russian Foreign Ministry has previously called such accusations “propaganda stuffing”.
Kislytsya also said that Kiev welcomes the IAEA delegation.
“The task must be carried out in full compliance with the national legislation of Ukraine and with full respect for its international obligations. “We are ready to provide all necessary assistance to the mission and ensure the passage through the territory controlled by Ukraine,” he said.
In response to the Ukrainian representative, Nebenzya, the Permanent Representative of Russia, said that he did not plan to engage in discussions and “react to his own streams of consciousness and lies.”
Speech by the Permanent Representative of the People’s Republic of China
The Chinese ambassador Zhang Jun was the most neutral of all the speakers. He warned that the consequences of the incident at the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, the largest in Europe, would be much greater than those resulting from the Fukushima incident.
The Chinese diplomat urged all parties to exercise restraint and refrain from any action that would threaten nuclear security.