Ukrainian Energy Minister Herman Galushchenko called on all IAEA member states to join forces to give a powerful and unanimous response to the Russian Federation for criminal attacks on civilian energy infrastructure and the occupation of Zaporizhzhia NPP, UNN reports citing the Energy Ministry.
"Over the past year, Ukraine has suffered unprecedented Russian attacks on its energy system with serious destruction and damage. We have lost the lives of our brave soldiers who defended our country, the lives of our power engineers who restored energy equipment after the Russian attacks and ensured reliable operation of nuclear power plants, the lives of civilians and children - the future of Ukraine. But we continue to stand and resist this evil of the 21st century," said Herman Galushchenko, speaking at the 68th IAEA General Conference in Vienna.
According to him, while the whole world is moving towards sustainable development, developing nuclear technologies and commissioning new nuclear generating capacities, Russia is barbarically destroying the Ukrainian Zaporizhzhya NPP, continues to militarize the plant and the adjacent occupied territories, using them as a cover for artillery strikes on the territory controlled by Ukraine and settlements, violating the basics of nuclear safety and all protection principles.
"How much longer will we observe Russia's deliberate violation of the IAEA Statute, deliberate repeated disregard for the resolutions of the IAEA Board of Governors and the IAEA General Conference? Russia does not deserve a privileged status within the Agency and its Board of Governors. It deliberately creates unprecedented nuclear danger and insecurity," the Minister emphasized.
Galushchenko thanked the IAEA and Director General Rafael Grossi personally for the rapid implementation of the recent decision to start monitoring missions at Ukrainian substations, which are critical for nuclear power plants.
He recalled that during the last massive attack on Ukraine's civilian energy infrastructure on August 26, Russia used 236 strike weapons, including 127 missiles and 109 drones. The attack was aimed, in particular, at generation facilities, power lines and substations critical to Ukrainian nuclear power plants.
The Minister of Energy noted that we must do everything to prevent any military threat to the peaceful use of nuclear energy in the future.
The 68th IAEA General Conference started in Vienna: who represents Ukraine16.09.24, 15:17