Many western countries including US, UK criticized Russia for endangering nuclear facilities
Many western countries including US, UK criticized Russia for endangering nuclear facilities
Members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) expressed concern over this Possibility of nuclear incident in UkraineIn an emergency meeting on Friday, convened a few hours after a training building Fire breaks out at Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, as the Russians entered the facility and seized control of it. The International Atomic Energy (IAEA) chief told the council that no reactors were damaged.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said after the attack on the power plant that he would call a meeting of the UNSC. Several Western countries, including the US and Britain, spoke out against Russia for putting nuclear facilities at risk, while others – including India and China – expressed concern about the situation without blaming anyone in particular.
“No safety or security systems have been compromised,” said IAEA Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi, based on agency contacts as well as information obtained directly from the power plant. Mr Grossi, who attended the council meeting via video link, on a flight to Tehran, was struck by a reactor projectile that hit the training building. He expressed his desire to visit Chernobyl to establish a “stable framework” for the governance of the nuclear power plant. The plant was taken over by the Russian military last week – although it is still being run by Ukrainians.
During his remarks, India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UNPR) TS Tirumurti warned of the danger of a nuclear incident.
“India attaches the highest importance to ensuring the safety and security of nuclear facilities, as any accident involving nuclear facilities can have serious consequences for public health and the environment,” Mr. Tirumurti said. He also stressed that Ukraine was facing a humanitarian crisis. India has been concerned about the lives of thousands of its citizens trapped in conflict.
Mr Tirumurti reiterated India’s position – calling for resolution of differences through dialogue and respect for the United Nations Charter and the sovereignty of nations.
UAE UNPR Lana Nuseebeh said that if an accident occurs, there will be dire consequences for generations, either because of an attack on a facility or as a result of fighting. The United Arab Emirates presides over the Security Council for March and, after being absent from the Security Council, on Wednesday voted to support a General Assembly resolution condemning Russia.
At Friday’s meeting, the US denounced Russia and called for an end to the war. US UNPR Linda Thomas Greenfield said, “By the grace of God, the world narrowly avoided a nuclear disaster last night.”
“Mr. Putin must stop this madness and he must stop it now,” she said, warning that the Russians were closing in country’s second largest nuclear plant,
“So this imminent danger continues,” she said.
Britain’s representative, Barbara Woodward, said: “Russia must stay away from nuclear sites and protect safety and security.”
The Russian Defense Ministry blamed Ukrainians for the fire in Zaporizhzhya, and Russian representative Vasily Nebenzya and his Ukrainian counterpart Sergei Kislitsya alleged who was responsible.
“Together with the people of Belarus and Ukraine, we lived through the tragedy of Chernobyl, and therefore we are most interested in maintaining the normal radiation situation throughout the territory of Ukraine,” said Russian representative Vasily Nebenzya.
He also accused Ukrainian “nationalists” of taking foreign students – Indian, Chinese and Ghanaian nationals – hostage in the cities of Kharkiv and Sumy. On Thursday, the foreign ministry said it was not aware of Ukraine holding its citizens hostage and using them as “human shields”, as alleged by Russia.
During his speech Mr. Kislitsia asked Mr. Nebenzya to appeal to the Russian military to allow a safe corridor for foreign students to pass through. He also accused Russia of shelling civilian areas. He listed the damage caused to the nuclear power plant and said that since Thursday morning the personnel had not been rotated, i.e., their shifts were abandoned. (After being captured by the Russian army, Ukrainians continue to manage the plant). Mr. kyslytsya asked the Security Council to discuss the ban on all flights into Ukrainian airspace. On Friday, NATO rejected Ukraine’s appeal for a ‘no fly zone’ on its airspace.
Quoting Albert Einstein as saying, “The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who look at them without doing anything,” Mr. Kislista appeared to take a Shot at those who have not condemned Russia in recent days.
“Sadly, there are only a handful of people around us … or among us, rather … who do not,” said Mr. Kislitsya, possibly a reference to India and others who have During the United Nations votes on the issue is constantly participated.