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Statement at the UNGA plenary meeting under agenda item 89 "Report of the International Atomic Energy Agency" delivered by Deputy Permanent Representative of Ukraine Ms. Khrystyna Hayovyshyn (15 October 2024, New York)

Mr. President,

Ukraine aligns itself with the statement on behalf of the EU and now would like to make some remarks in our national capacity.

As we welcome the IAEA Annual Report for 2023, I am compelled to start with the issue of unprecedented attacks on global nuclear safety and security by one particular State. It continues deliberately pushing the world to the edge of another nuclear catastrophe and shows no intention to stop.

It has been over 10 years since Russian Federation occupied Crimea and the Sevastopol Research Reactor in 2014, and two and a half years since the occupation of Zaporizhzhia NPP in 2022 as well as Chornobyl NPP, when Russian army occupied and then looted laboratories when leaving the Station, placing all of us under the constant threat of a major nuclear accident.

Let me stress that attacks at peaceful nuclear facilities are prohibited by international law. By attacking Zaporizhzhia and Chornobyl NPPs Russia directly violated Article 56 of Additional Protocol I to the 1949 Geneva Conventions.

As of today, the presence of Russian unauthorized personnel on Ukraine`s nuclear facility poses a threat to its operation and proper maintenance of nuclear material.

Russian UAV flight incursions, often involving combat UAVs, over Ukraine’s nuclear facilities greatly increase the risk of damage to critical infrastructure, which could lead to catastrophic nuclear accidents.

Mr. President,

The IAEA governing bodies keep calling Russia to cease all its actions against the ZNPP, urgently withdraw all military and other unauthorised personnel from the plant and immediately return the plant under the full control of the competent Ukrainian authorities.
This call was reinforced in July 2024, when the General Assembly adopted resolution entitled “Safety and security of nuclear facilities of Ukraine, including the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant”.

It is noteworthy that by adopting this resolution the General Assembly endorsed the “seven indispensable pillars for ensuring nuclear safety and security during an armed conflict” of the IAEA Director General and the five concrete principles to help to ensure nuclear safety and security at the ZNPP.

In this regard, we would like to express gratitude to all States who supported relevant decisions of the UN and IAEA.

Let me also remind that radiological and nuclear safety was also raised at the Peace Summit in June this year. We appreciate input of all peace-loving States which participated in the Summit and contributed to the Joint Communique.

Despite the international condemnation of its illegal and unlawful actions, Russia continue violating key principles of nuclear safety and security.

It is obvious that the Russian Federation recognizes the ZNPP as a convenient tool for blackmailing, threat and cover for its military activities. And that is precisely why the territory around the plant has been mined and subject to constant shelling by Russian troops.

Let me state clearly, unlike the Russian Federation, Ukraine has never attacked and is not going to attack any nuclear facility.

Mr. President,

In addition to the threat to nuclear safety and security posed by Russia's militarisation of the Zaporizhzhia NPP, we must also address the serious risks posed by its continued attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure.

Missile and drone strikes on energy facilities jeopardise the power supply needed to maintain critical cooling systems at nuclear power plants.

Disruptions to the power supply for extended periods of time pose serious challenges to the safe operation of nuclear reactors, potentially leading to dangerous overheating.

Moreover, according to recent intelligence data, the Russian Federation is planning direct attacks on Ukraine’s nuclear power plants and their infrastructure, critical substations, aiming to disconnect the plants from the power grid.

The international community should take such threats seriously, combined with the militarisation of nuclear facilities, which significantly increase the likelihood of a nuclear disaster that could surpass the scale of the 1986 Chornobyl catastrophe.

Today, nuclear safety and security depend on our ability to take a strong and common stance and decisive steps to towards all actions, which put in danger nuclear facilities.

In this regard, we reiterate that the UN community should do its utmost to ensure no impunity for the illegal occupation by the Russian Federation of the ZNPP and violations of norms and principles of nuclear and radiation safety.

To conclude, Mr. President, Ukraine calls for active participation of the UN Member States in the High-level conference under Point 1 of the Peace Formula “Radiation and nuclear safety” co-organized by France and Ukraine on 17 October 2024 in Paris.

Thank you, Mr. President.