Russia must completely withdraw its troops from Zaporizhzhia NPP - EU

The European Union demands that Russia completely withdraws its troops and equipment from the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (NPP).

This is said in an EU statement made during a meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna on Thursday, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

“We express our gravest concern over recent explosions near the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) and Russia’s continued actions to illegally occupy and take control over the facility. The situation can only be resolved by the complete withdrawal of Russian troops and equipment from the premises,” the statement says.

The EU also stressed that “Russia’s irresponsible nuclear rhetoric is absolutely unacceptable.”

“We support the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) efforts to strengthen nuclear safety and security in Ukraine, including through the continuous presence of IAEA experts and the cessation of all combat operations in and around the ZNPP and surrounding infrastructure,” the statement says.

In addition, the EU recalled its demand that “Russia immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraws all of its troops and military equipment from the entire territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders.”

As reported by Ukrinform, IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi expressed concern over renewed artillery shelling near the Zaporizhzhia NPP and the temporary loss of its only remaining back-up power line.