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UN PhotoUN / ZAPORIZHZHYA NUCLEAR POWER PLANT
STORY: UN / ZAPORIZHZHYA NUCLEAR POWER PLANT
TRT: 6:41
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / RUSSIAN / NATS
DATELINE: 15 APRIL 2024, NEW YORK CITY / FILE
FILE – NEW YORK CITY
1. Wide shot, exterior, United Nations Headquarters
15 APRIL 2024, NEW YORK CITY
2. Wide shot, Security Council
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency:
“Let me put it plainly. Two years of war are weighing heavily on nuclear safety at Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant. Every one of the IAEA’s 7 pillars of nuclear safety and security have been compromised. We cannot sit by and watch as the final weight tips the finely balanced scale.”
4. Wide shot, Security Council
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency:
“These reckless attacks must cease immediately. Though, fortunately, they have not led to a radiological incident this time, they significantly increase the risk at Zaporizhzhya NPP, where nuclear safety is already compromised. I am not only concerned about the attacks themselves, but also the context in which they have occurred. For several months before these direct attacks there had already been an increase in isolated drone incursions in the vicinity of the facility and in the nearby town of Energodar.”
6. Wide shot, Security Council
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency:
“Even though the plant’s six reactors are now in cold shutdown, with the final unit shifting into that status two days ago following the IAEA’s recommendation, the potential dangers of a major nuclear accident remain very real. The Agency will continue closely to follow the operational status of the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant and provide technically viable alternatives in a context of rapid changes and challenges.”
8. Wide shot, Security Council
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency:
“Our work at this facility remains essential. This has been recognized by all, irrespective of their side in this conflict. But to be effective, the IAEA teams need timely access to assess the condition of the plant and evaluate the cumulative impact that more than 26 months in a war zone have had on nuclear safety.”
10. Wide shot, Security Council
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency:
“We are getting dangerously close to a nuclear accident. We must not 7 allow complacency to let a role of the dice decide what happens tomorrow. We must do everything in our power today to minimize the risk of an accident. The five principles established in this very chamber one year ago must be adhered to. They are there to prevent a major nuclear accident with potentially significant radiological consequences. The latest attacks represent a flagrant violation of these crucial principles and must stop.”
12. Wide shot, Security Council
13. SOUNDBITE (Russian) Vasily Nebenzya, Permanent Representative of Russia to the United Nations:
“Ensuring nuclear safety and security was and remains an unconditional priority for the Russian Federation. Our country with the support of the IAEA leadership is making every effort to prevent safety and security threats at the ZNPP. Whether someone likes the fact that the ZNPP is under Russian control or not, that's a separate issue. It's irrelevant to safety and security at the ZNPP, where they come from the only source it's clear who that is. With the connivance of its western sponsors, Ukraine is systematically conducting irresponsible and reckless attacks on the ZNPP and the surrounding area.”
14. Wide shot, Security Council
15. SOUNDBITE (Russian) Vasily Nebenzya, Permanent Representative of Russia to the United Nations:
“Ukraine's shelling of the ZNPP cannot be justified on any grounds including military goals. Russia has never stationed heavy weaponry at the ZNPP, nor have we attacked it from its territory. IAEA experts at the ZNPP were invited there by the Russians and they know all of this full well. As for Ukraine's actions, they are the most flagrant direct violation of the Agency's demands and calls.”
16. Wide shot, Security Council
17. SOUNDBITE (English) Sergíy Kyslytsya, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ukraine:
“We reaffirm that the only way out of the current very precarious situation is complete demilitarization and occupation of the ZNPP and adjacent territories. This is a key prerequisite for restoring not only nuclear safety and security, but also respect for international law. The return of the station to the full control of Ukraine is the only guarantee of nuclear and radiation safety.”
18. Wide shot, Security Council
19. SOUNDBITE (English) Sergíy Kyslytsya, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ukraine:
“We categorically reject the insane allegations that Ukraine made post nuclear disaster.”
12. Wide shot, Security Council
13. SOUNDBITE (English) Sergíy Kyslytsya, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ukraine:
“Ukraine in its term makes all possible military and diplomatic efforts to ensure nuclear safety and security while exercising its inherent right to self-defense under the article 51 of the UN Charter. We call on the international community to strongly condemn Russian provocations at the ZNPP and enjoy the implementation of the peace proposed by Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky, one of the important components of which is the restoration of nuclear and radiation safety. Ukraine also calls on all our partners to increase the pressure on the aggressive State including by imposing sanctions against the atomic energy sector to prevent further Russian provocations at the ZNPP and facilitate the de-occupation of the Plant.”
14. Wide shot, Security Council
15. Wide shot, Grossi walking to the podium
16. SOUNDBITE (English) Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency:
“Our inspectors in Iran were informed by the Iranian government that yesterday, all the nuclear facilities that we are inspecting every day would remain closed on security considerations, they would be reopened today for the continued inspections. I decided to let the inspectors not return until we see that the situation is completely calm. We are going to resume tomorrow.”
17.Wide shot, Grossi leaving the podium
Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, said, “Two years of war are weighing heavily on nuclear safety at Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant. Every one of the IAEA’s 7 pillars of nuclear safety and security have been compromised. We cannot sit by and watch as the final weight tips the finely balanced scale.”
Grossi updated the Security Council today (15 Apr) on the Agency’s activities concerning nuclear safety, security and safeguards in Ukraine.
The Director General said that on Sunday, 7 April, the International Support and Assistance Mission to ZNPP (ISAMZ) confirmed the first attacks since November 2022 to directly target ZNPP. The ISAMZ team was able to inspect the location of one direct strike at the apex of the containment dome of the Unit 6 reactor building.
He added that whilst the damage to the structure is superficial, the attack sets a very dangerous precedent of the successful targeting of the reactor containment.
The other two attacks were in close proximity to the main reactor buildings and resulted in at least one casualty. Agency experts at the site have been informed by ZNPP of a drone strike against the site’s oxygen and nitrogen production facility; two 5 attacks on the training centre located just outside the site perimeter and reports of a drone shot down above the turbine hall of Unit 6.
Grossi highlighted, “These reckless attacks must cease immediately. Though, fortunately, they have not led to a radiological incident this time, they significantly increase the risk at Zaporizhzhya NPP, where nuclear safety is already compromised.”
He continued, “I am not only concerned about the attacks themselves, but also the context in which they have occurred. For several months before these direct attacks there had already been an increase in isolated drone incursions in the vicinity of the facility and in the nearby town of Energodar.”
Grossi also said, “Even though the plant’s six reactors are now in cold shutdown, with the final unit shifting into that status two days ago following the IAEA’s recommendation, the potential dangers of a major nuclear accident remain very real.”
“The Agency will continue closely to follow the operational status of the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant and provide technically viable alternatives in a context of rapid changes and challenges,” the IAEA chief said.
Grossi also reiterated, “Our work at this facility remains essential. This has been recognized by all, irrespective of their side in this conflict. But to be effective, the IAEA teams need timely access to assess the condition of the plant and evaluate the cumulative impact that more than 26 months in a war zone have had on nuclear safety.”
The Director General warned, “We are getting dangerously close to a nuclear accident. We must not 7 allow complacency to let a role of the dice decide what happens tomorrow. We must do everything in our power today to minimize the risk of an accident.”
He concluded, “The five principles established in this very chamber one year ago must be adhered to. They are there to prevent a major nuclear accident with potentially significant radiological consequences. The latest attacks represent a flagrant violation of these crucial principles and must stop.”
Russian Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya also spoke at the Council.
He said, “Ensuring nuclear safety and security was and remains an unconditional priority for the Russian Federation. Our country, with the support of the IAEA leadership is making every effort to prevent safety and security threats at the ZNPP.”
Ambassador Nebenzya said, “With the connivance of its western sponsors, Ukraine is systematically conducting irresponsible and reckless attacks on the ZNPP and the surrounding area.”
The Russian Ambassador also said, “Ukraine's shelling of the ZNPP cannot be justified on any grounds including military goals.”
He added, “Russia has never stationed heavy weaponry at the ZNPP, nor have we attacked it from its territory. IAEA experts at the ZNPP were invited there by the Russians and they know all of this full well. As for Ukraine's actions, they are the most flagrant direct violation of the Agency's demands and calls.”
Ukrainian Ambassador Sergíy Kyslytsya reaffirmed that “the only way out of the current very precarious situation is complete demilitarization and occupation of the ZNPP and adjacent territories.”
He said, “This is a key prerequisite for restoring not only nuclear safety and security, but also respect for international law. The return of the station to the full control of Ukraine is the only guarantee of nuclear and radiation safety.”
Ambassador Kyslytsya also “categorically” rejected “the insane allegations that Ukraine made post nuclear disaster.”
He said, “Ukraine in its term makes all possible military and diplomatic efforts to ensure nuclear safety and security while exercising its inherent right to self-defense under the article 51 of the UN Charter.”
He called on the international community to “strongly condemn Russian provocations at the ZNPP and enjoy the implementation of the peace proposed by Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky, one of the important components of which is the restoration of nuclear and radiation safety.”
Ukraine also called on all partners to “increase the pressure on the aggressive State including by imposing sanctions against the atomic energy sector to prevent further Russian provocations at the ZNPP and facilitate the de-occupation of the Plant.”
After the Council’s meeting, IAEA chief Rafael Grossi spoke to reporters.
Asked about Iran and recent development in the Middle East, Grossi said, “Our inspectors in Iran were informed by the Iranian government that yesterday, all the nuclear facilities that we are inspecting every day would remain closed on security considerations, they would be reopened today for the continued inspections. I decided to let the inspectors not return until we see that the situation is completely calm. We are going to resume tomorrow.”
