Concern Over Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant In Ukraine
Security
Thursday 18th, August 2022
Antonio Guterres, the United Nations Secretary-General has said that he was very concerned by the situation in Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in Europe.
Russia captured the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant just after their invasion of Ukraine started on the 24th of February 2022.
It's been reported that Russia has said it could shut down the nuclear plant, a move that Kyiv has said would increase the risk of a nuclear catastrophe.
Mr. Guterres said, "The facility must not be used as part of any military operation. Instead, agreement is urgently needed to re-establish Zaporizhzhia's purely civilian infrastructure and to ensure the safety of the area,", this came after Mr. Guterres held talks with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Moscow has said earlier that is has rejected calls for a demilitarised zone around the nuclear plant as "unacceptable".
The Nuclear plant is still operated by Ukrainian engineers under Russian occupation.
Ukrainian officials have accused Russia of planning to shut down the nuclear plant to sever it from Ukraine's power grid and switch it over to Russia's grid.
Mark Hibbs, senior fellow at the Nuclear Policy Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, has said "Should Russia take actions to force (the plant) off the Ukraine power system, that could threaten the operational safety of the station, in addition to escalating Ukraine's energy crisis into the winter,"
Russia captured the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant just after their invasion of Ukraine started on the 24th of February 2022.
It's been reported that Russia has said it could shut down the nuclear plant, a move that Kyiv has said would increase the risk of a nuclear catastrophe.
Mr. Guterres said, "The facility must not be used as part of any military operation. Instead, agreement is urgently needed to re-establish Zaporizhzhia's purely civilian infrastructure and to ensure the safety of the area,", this came after Mr. Guterres held talks with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Moscow has said earlier that is has rejected calls for a demilitarised zone around the nuclear plant as "unacceptable".
The Nuclear plant is still operated by Ukrainian engineers under Russian occupation.
Ukrainian officials have accused Russia of planning to shut down the nuclear plant to sever it from Ukraine's power grid and switch it over to Russia's grid.
Mark Hibbs, senior fellow at the Nuclear Policy Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, has said "Should Russia take actions to force (the plant) off the Ukraine power system, that could threaten the operational safety of the station, in addition to escalating Ukraine's energy crisis into the winter,"
