Statement at the side-event on the sidelines of the NPT Prepcom “Nuclear safety and security in Ukraine: Addressing the Ongoing Challenges through Collective Action”

(29 April 2025, New York)

Excellencies,

Distinguished delegates,

I wish to thank the Permanent Mission of Norway for providing us with the opportunity to organize this side-event at their Mission and for their important remarks. I am grateful to our co-organizers – Permanent Missions of France and the United Kingdom. I also welcome participation of other briefers.

Today, I will focus on nuclear safety and security in Ukraine and the challenges and risks posed to it posed by Russia’s war of aggression, which continues unabated.

Let me recall that just a few days ago, on April 26, 2025,
we marked 39 years since one of the most devastating man-made disasters in human history — the accident at the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant.

The catastrophe resulted from a risky experiment demanded by Moscow to satisfy its own ambitions, despite clear violations of basic safety protocols. Unacceptable manipulations with the reactor led to an uncontrolled reaction, explosion, and the meltdown of the reactor core.

The Soviet regime committed a crime not only by causing the disaster but also by concealing the truth about it. Holding May Day parades in Kyiv and failing to properly evacuate people demonstrated Moscow’s total disregard for human life and inability to ensure basic safety, ultimately contributing to the collapse of the Soviet Union.

On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a full-scale war against Ukraine. One of the first sites occupied by Russian forces was Chornobyl.

Russian forces violated radiation safety protocols and used the rea as a military base. Upon retreating on 31 March, the occupiers forcibly took away 169 National Guard servicemen of Ukraine, of whom only 65 have been returned so far.

One of the most recent incidents on the Chornobyl NPP occurred during the night of February 13–14, 2025, when Russia launched an attack using a “Geran-2” combat drone on the New Safe Confinement structure at the NPP, which protects the destroyed Unit 4 reactor. The drone strike damaged both the outer and inner shells of the confinement structure (the NSC arch) and compromised the equipment of the main crane system. The full extent of the damage and required reconstruction efforts are still under assessment.

Dear colleagues,

As of today, the situation at the temporarily occupied by Russia Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) remains precarious, as confirmed by the IAEA.

All seven indispensable nuclear safety and security pillars, as well as the five principles for the protection of the ZNPP, continue to be systematically violated.

The plant has experienced degradation of equipment without repairs, constant power outages, increased fire hazard, systematic violations of nuclear and radiation safety requirements and 8 complete blackouts. The risk of further damage to power lines and blackout of the NPP remains unacceptably high.

Among the most pressing concerns are the stability of off-site power supply, the availability of a reliable cooling water source, the presence of sufficient qualified personnel, and timely and adequate maintenance of all safety-critical structures, systems, and components.

As of today, all six ZNPP units remain in clod state. However, Russia continues to militarize ZNPP, by using the station for training FPV drone pilots and storing military equipment and ammunition. Russian occupying forces also installed mines along the perimeter of the site and use ZNPP as their defense facility and a firing position for shelling Ukrainian territories.

Russia has been taking efforts to legitimise the illegal control over the station by illegally Russia's interfing in the operation of ZNPP, including through centralised control and actions that threaten the technical stability of the station.

The effectiveness of the IAEA mission at ZNPP has been significantly reduced because Russia continues to restrict communication between the Agency's experts and the plant's personnel and to block access to some areas and premises of the station.

Ukraine has been vocal and clear. Complete demilitarization and de-occupation of ZNPP and surrounding areas and return of the power plant under the  regulatory control of competent authorities of Ukraine is the key prerequisite for restoring nuclear safety.

Distinguished delegates,

Ukrainian authorities have been regularly recording Russian attack drones and missiles through the observation and sanitary protection zones of Ukrainian nuclear power plants. These incidents pose an unacceptable risk of collision and damage to critical systems.

Russia has been systematically attacking Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.

The findings of the IAEA Expert Mission to electrical substations, critical to nuclear safety, highlight that multiple substations which are essential for reliable power supply to NPPs, have been severely damaged by missile and drone attacks.

This degradation of the infrastructure threatens the uninterrupted external power supply required for nuclear safety.

I would like to highlight that the continued presence of IAEA staff at Ukrainian NPPs, along with technical support and assistance for nuclear safety and security remains invaluable in addressing the unprecedented challenges we face.

The international community must take concrete measures that constitute a clear and resolute in response to Russia's total disregard for UN General Assembly resolution “Safety and security of nuclear facilities of Ukraine, including the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant”, as well as IAEA Board of Governors and General Conference resolutions.

Thank you for your attention.