Zelenskyy demands urgent action to end Zaporizhzhia NPP blackout
Photo: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Getty Images)
Russia must be forced to ensure safety at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) so that repair crews can begin work. The IAEA's position needs to be clearer and more honest to make this possible, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
He said he discussed the situation at the plant with French President Emmanuel Macron. Zelenskyy emphasized that Ukraine can repair the plant’s power lines and guarantee its safety, "as has been done dozens of times before." He stressed that Ukrainian specialists are the "100 percent guarantee of safety."
"Russia has no interest in restoring safety. They must be pressured into doing so. A clearer, more honest position from the IAEA is needed. Russia can and must stop the shelling so repair crews can work," the Ukrainian leader said.
He noted that the Zaporizhzhia plant is currently experiencing its longest blackout yet, operating on diesel generators for nearly three weeks.
"This should not be happening. Russia is taking advantage of the situation while global diplomacy is focused on the Middle East. Putin has escalated actions at the plant. Russia has also carried out more malicious strikes against our energy infrastructure," Zelenskyy said.
The President added that Russian airstrikes aim to compensate for what they failed to achieve on the ground during the spring and summer.
Blackout at Zaporizhzhia NPP
The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, the largest in Europe, has been disconnected from Ukraine's energy system for an extended period. It is currently running on diesel generators, which is considered an emergency mode.
IAEA staff recorded a series of shots near the plant on October 6. The strikes occurred 1.25 km from the plant's perimeter.
Following the plant's disconnection from external power sources, the nuclear safety situation remains serious.
Read more on the possibility of a nuclear disaster at Zaporizhzhia NPP and the role the IAEA can play in RBC-Ukraine's article.
