UN General Assembly approves resolution on nuclear safety and ZNPP: Zelenskyy's response
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Getty Images)
The UN General Assembly has passed a resolution initiated by Ukraine regarding the safety and protection of nuclear facilities, particularly the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy hailed this as another crucial step towards restoring respect for the UN Charter and international law, citing his X account.
The resolution is titled "Safety and Security of Ukraine's Nuclear Facilities, including the Zaporizhzhia NPP."
As noted by Zelenskyy, the document reiterates the need to demilitarise and de-occupy ZNPP in light of Russia's failure to comply with IAEA governing bodies' resolutions
"This vote builds on the discussions and decisions made at the first Peace Summit, where point one of the Peace Formula, 'Radiation and nuclear safety,' was a key issue'," the president wrote.
The head of state expressed gratitude to all partners for their assistance in "restoring security in all areas shattered by Russian aggression."
"By working together, we can protect fundamental international law norms and shared values," Zelenskyy added.
The UN General Assembly resolution demands Russia de-occupy the Zaporizhzhia NPP and return control to Ukraine.
The resolution, adopted on July 11, calls for the immediate withdrawal of Russian troops and unauthorized personnel from the Zaporizhzhia NPP and the return of control over the plant to Ukraine.
"[The Assembly] calls upon the Russian Federation, until it returns the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant…to provide the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Support and Assistance Mission to Zaporizhzhia with timely and full access to all areas at the plant that are important for nuclear safety and security to allow the Agency to report fully on the nuclear safety and security situation at the site," the resolution states.
The resolution was submitted by Ukraine and supported by more than 50 countries, including France, Germany, and the United States.
The document was approved in a vote by 99 states, with 60 abstentions and 9 opposing. Among those who voted against the resolution were Belarus, Burundi, North Korea, Cuba, Mali, Russia, Syria, Nicaragua, and Eritrea.
Situation at occupied Zaporizhzhia NPP
Russian occupiers seized the Zaporizhzhia NPP early in their invasion of Ukraine in 2022. They have turned the plant into a military facility, stationing soldiers and equipment there and mining the territory.
Previously, it was reported that Ukrainian intelligence had documented the use of kamikaze drones over the nuclear reactors of the Zaporizhzhia NPP. Recently, the occupiers claimed another "drone attack" on the plant, blaming Ukraine.
Additionally, the plant has experienced several blackouts, and Energoatom warns that the depletion of fuel in the Zaporizhzhia NPP generators could lead to a catastrophe similar to Fukushima.
It was also reported that on July 11, Ukraine's Permanent Representative to the UN, Sergiy Kyslytsya, said that the UN General Assembly would consider Ukraine's draft resolution on nuclear safety, which is supported by dozens of countries.
