emergency meeting
On the night of August 12, in New York, a UN Security Council emergency session convened amid rising alarm over attacks near the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. The Russian Federation pressed for measures to contain the situation as bombardments by Ukrainian forces continued, heightening concerns about nuclear safety.
Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), opened the meeting with a stark warning: the crisis could escalate into a disaster at any moment unless hostilities near the plant cease. He emphasized that the IAEA mission must be permitted to access Zaporozhye promptly to assess risk and verify safety conditions on the ground.
Nebenzya’s remarks
Vasily Nebenzya, Russia’s Permanent Representative, stated that responsibility for a potential catastrophe at Zaporizhzhya would rest with Ukraine and its Western supporters. He rejected Kiev’s assertions that Russia was responsible for shelling the plant, calling such charges nonsense and cynical, even bordering on madness.
According to Nebenzya, the plant is under Russian military control and there was no reason for Moscow to strike the facility, the city, or the surrounding area. He urged the IAEA to visit Energodar soon and hoped the UN would refrain from hindering the arrival of nuclear experts.
Nebenzya warned that Kiev’s actions risk pushing the region toward a nuclear disaster analogous to Chernobyl. He noted that the Dnieper, Donetsk, and Luhansk areas, along with nearby regions in Ukraine and the neighboring states to the west and south, could face radioactive contamination if the situation deteriorates.
The Russian envoy addressed Western governments, arguing that Kyiv bears clear responsibility for any crimes committed. He criticized Western double standards and resourcefulness that he said masked accountability for the bombings. He reiterated that Moscow protects the Zaporizhzhya facility and that Kyiv’s actions are coordinated with plant personnel for defense—though he warned that withdrawal of Russian troops could leave the site unguarded and vulnerable to provocations by Kyiv and nationalist groups.
He added that, due to ongoing efforts, the station’s critical facilities have been safeguarded so far, and the wider world has seen the consequences of Kiev’s approach. He urged those calling for Russian troop withdrawal to consider the risks of leaving the facility exposed to attempts at escalation.
Opinions of other countries
The United States, represented by the ambassador to the UN and a senior arms control official, characterized Moscow as the primary source of the risk by mounting a large-scale invasion. Washington argued that only Russia could remove the threat by withdrawing its troops from Ukrainian territory and described the crisis as another tragic consequence of aggression against an independent state. The United States stated that Ukraine bears little to no responsibility for the plant’s bombardment.
US officials supported Kyiv’s call for a demilitarized zone around Zaporizhzhia and for restoring full Ukrainian control over the plant. They also advocated sending IAEA inspectors to Zaporozhzhia as soon as possible, stressing that the visit could not be postponed any longer. Other Western delegations from Great Britain and France echoed this stance, urging Russia to step back from the crisis and recognizing the severity of the situation.
Ukraine’s position
Serhiy Kislytsya, Ukraine’s Permanent Representative to the UN, asserted that Russia conducted the bombing as part of a staged effort to discredit Ukraine. He accused Moscow of placing military personnel and weapons at the plant and positioning forces on Ukrainian territory to strike on the opposite bank of the Dnieper. Kyiv’s representative maintained that these claims amount to propaganda. Kislytsya welcomed the IAEA delegation and emphasized that its work must fully respect Ukrainian law and international obligations. He pledged to provide all necessary cooperation to ensure safe passage for the mission through territories controlled by Ukraine.
In response, Nebenzya dismissed Kislytsya’s remarks as a display of “streams of consciousness and lies” and refused to engage in further debate on the matter.
Speech by the Permanent Representative of the People’s Republic of China
China’s envoy, Zhang Jun, offered a measured voice, warning that the consequences of the Zaporizhzhia incident could dwarf those of the Fukushima crisis. He urged all parties to show restraint and avoid any actions that could undermine nuclear security.
Throughout the session, the discussions underscored the fragility of nuclear safety in a volatile regional conflict and highlighted the need for prompt, credible verification by international inspectors, unhindered access for safety assessments, and a renewed commitment to protecting civilian infrastructure in times of war. (Source attribution: United Nations Security Council meeting records; IAEA and national statements as reported in official briefings.)