During a closed-door meeting held on Thursday in Vienna as part of the United Nations nuclear watchdog’s board of governors, diplomats said that the board had adopted a resolution to demand Russia withdraw its occupation of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine. As part of its resolution, the International Atomic Energy Agency board of directors ordered Russian forces to instantly cease all aggressive actions against and at the nuclear power plant Zaporizhzhia and any other nuclear facility in Ukraine.”
A resolution has been passed by the 35-nation Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency urging Russia to end its occupation of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine. #IAEA #Ukraine #Russia #NuclearPlant #ZaporizhzhiaPlant pic.twitter.com/Yw2gvpeKuE
— Live News Now (@LiveNewsNow6) September 17, 2022
There were 26 votes in favor, two against, and seven abstentions by the 35-member board, diplomats reported, adding that Russia and China opposed the resolution. Furthermore, the resolution states that the military occupation of the plant significantly increases the risk of nuclear accidents, endangering the population of Ukraine, its neighbors, and the international community as a whole.
According to the resolution, the Russian military and Rosatom, the national nuclear corporation of Russia, are obliged to cease all activities at the nuclear plant and return control to the Ukrainian authorities. In a statement, the Russian mission at the International Atomic Energy Agency also pointed out that the resolution failed to mention the systematic shelling of the plant as ‘the Achilles’ heel of this resolution. There is a simple explanation for this shelling: Ukraine conducts it, which is supported and shielded by Western countries in every way possible.
IAEA Delegation Visited the Nuclear Plant
Several attacks have been made against the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant recently, causing grave concerns at the International Atomic Energy Agency. It has been claimed that Moscow and Kyiv are responsible for the attacks. However, in a visit to the plant earlier this month, a delegation from the International Atomic Energy Agency reported that the site had been damaged by shelling from the north.
Source: Web
There was a complete shutdown of the power plant over the weekend, and the authorities restored power lines to ensure the cooling of nuclear fuel rods and waste, which prevents a meltdown if the power plant is not shut down for long.
It is the second resolution passed by the International Atomic Energy Agency board regarding Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Their contents are very similar, although the first was passed in March before Russian forces took over Zaporizhzhia, Europe’s largest nuclear power plant. In addition, a Canadian and Polish resolution was proposed on behalf of Ukraine, which is not a member of the board, and it meets more than once a year and makes policy decisions for the IAEA.
Read Also: IAEA Confirms Presence at Ukraine’s Nuclear Facility
