“The world is on the edge of the abyss.” Russia convenes UN Security Council over attacks on Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant

A source from Russia’s permanent mission around the world told RIA Novosti and TASS that Russia requested a meeting of the UN Security Council on August 11 regarding the Ukrainian attacks on the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP).

“The Russian Federation requested a briefing from the UN Security Council on the afternoon of 11 August on the recent Ukrainian attacks on the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant and the possible catastrophic consequences,” the source said.

later info approved Dmitry Polyansky, First Deputy Permanent Representative of Russia to the UN, in his Telegram.

“They requested a meeting on Ukraine’s bombing of the ZNPP. This issue deserves a biased discussion with colleagues in the Security Council. “Ukrainian provocations should not be hidden from the public,” he said.

According to TASS, Russia has requested IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi to speak at the upcoming briefing.

“World on the edge of the abyss”

The response of the UN and IAEA in response to the bombing of the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant was commented on by the representative of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Maria Zakharova. The UN’s failure to coordinate the trip of the head of IAEA Grossi to the ZNPP is “an irresponsible decision with some dangerous consequences,” according to the diplomat.

“It seems to me that the UN Secretariat dealing with the problem of nuclear energy should understand that the world is walking on the edge of the abyss. These are not dangerous experiments of scientists conducting experiments in the search for peace, development, alternative energy sources, but criminal acts, destructive in nature, as part of the absolutely unlawful activities of the Kyiv regime, the consequences of which are. “The diplomat will not be limited to any geographical boundaries,” he said on the broadcast of the Sputnik radio station.

Earlier, Grossi expressed his concerns about the bombing of the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant. According to him, military actions that threaten the security of the ZNPP are “totally unacceptable and must be avoided at all costs.” He emphasized that IAEA experts on safety, protection and security measures at nuclear power plants are ready to lead the mission. Later, the Russian Foreign Ministry said that the Security Department of the UN Secretariat did not coordinate Grossi’s tour of the ZNPP, which allowed Kiev to attack the station again.

“Biden didn’t call”

Federation Council Senator Alexei Pushkov, on the other hand, believes that by calling his Ukrainian counterpart, Vladimir Zelensky, US President Joe Biden can stop the shelling of the ZNPP. According to Pushkov, the American leader shows “astonishing irresponsibility” in this situation.

“Biden can really eliminate the danger of a Ukrainian missile hitting the nuclear reactor of the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant. But Biden isn’t calling, he’s playing with fire.”

In his post to Telegram, Pushkov added that the bombing of the station could lead to a disaster that would affect neighboring countries, but that European leaders did not take steps to prevent it.

“European leaders are indifferent to a potential new Chernobyl that, in the event of a disaster, would pose a major threat to at least part of Europe,” the senator said.

off sky mode

On August 9, Ukraine’s Permanent Mission to the UN diplomat Anatoly Zlenko, speaking at the Review Conference of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), called for the establishment of a no-fly zone over Ukraine’s nuclear weapons. supply of power plants and air defense systems to Kiev.

“We call on the international community once again to close the skies above Ukraine’s nuclear power plant and provide air defense systems,” said Zlenko.

A week ago, Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Mykola Tochitsky made a similar request. Petr Kotin, head of the Ukrainian company Energoatom, also called for the creation of a demilitarized zone around the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant.

Commenting on Zlenko’s statement, Zakharova suggested “start small” and allow the IAEA delegation to enter the station.

“Maybe let’s start with the small, obvious and logical one, and not with these fantasies, many of which, under the influence of poisonous fumes, came to Zelensky’s mind, but with such an impression?” recorded.

Washington is watching

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre urged Moscow to return full control over Zaporozhye and other nuclear power plants to Ukraine.

“We continue to call on Russia to cease all military operations at or near Ukraine’s nuclear facilities and to return full control of these facilities to Ukraine,” he said.

He added that the United States “highly appreciates the commitment of the Ukrainian authorities to maintain nuclear security in these difficult conditions.” He also noted that the United States is monitoring the situation around the station. “Fortunately, we don’t see signs of high or abnormal levels of radiation,” he said.

Plan “B” for civilians around the ZNPP

Alexander Volga, head of the administration of the city of Energodar, said that the city authorities have an emergency evacuation plan in case of an emergency at the nuclear power plant.

“Plans for the evacuation of the population [в случае ЧП на станции]Of course there is, and it is constantly updated according to the current situation,” he said.

Zaporozhye NPP in Energodar is Europe’s largest nuclear power plant in terms of installed capacity. The Russian army has been controlling it since February 28, but the station is still operated by Ukrainian operators. Since the start of the special operation of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation in Ukraine, the ZNPP has been subjected to various bombardments by the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In July-August, shelling became more frequent. City officials noted that during the final attack on the night of 6-7 August, bullet fragments and a rocket engine fell 400 meters from the working power unit.