Ukraine at UN: All military operations near nuclear facilities must cease immediately
This was stated by Ukraine’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Oleksandr Mishchenko during an event at UN headquarters dedicated to nuclear safety and the 40th anniversary of the Chornobyl disaster.
The official emphasized that Russia’s criminal war against Ukraine poses unprecedented challenges to nuclear safety, particularly due to incidents in the Chornobyl area, as well as threats to the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.
He recalled the targeted strike by a Russian drone on the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant, which damaged the new safe confinement.
“All military actions near nuclear facilities must be immediately halted. Any damage to such facilities could undo decades of international efforts in the field of nuclear safety,” Mishchenko noted.
The Deputy Foreign Minister emphasized that the spread of radiation risks knows no borders, and the consequences of accidents are a shared responsibility of the international community.
It was Chornobyl, he said, that laid the groundwork for the development of key international mechanisms in the field of nuclear safety, including an early warning system for accidents and enhanced cooperation with the IAEA.
Mishchenko also noted the role of the UN and international partners in overcoming the consequences of the disaster, monitoring radiation levels, providing medical and scientific support to the affected regions, as well as in long-term recovery.
He emphasized that Putin’s regime is seeking Ukraine’s capitulation, but Ukraine will never yield thanks to the Ukrainian army, the strength of its people, and international solidarity.
As reported by Ukrinform, an exhibition marking the anniversary of the Chornobyl disaster has opened at UN headquarters.
Photo: Volodymyr Ilchenko / Ukrinform
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