Deputy Minister of Energy of Ukraine Anatolii Kutsevol held a meeting with the Heads of Mission of EU Member States on the sidelines of the IAEA Board of Governors meeting in Vienna, where he informed international partners about the current security situation surrounding Ukraine’s nuclear facilities and the consequences of Russia’s aggression for nuclear and radiation safety in Ukraine.
During his remarks, Anatolii Kutsevol stressed that nuclear safety in Ukraine cannot be considered separately from Russia’s attacks on energy infrastructure and its occupation of Ukrainian nuclear facilities.
“Nuclear safety in Ukraine is inextricably linked to the security of the energy system. Russian attacks on power generation facilities, substations, and electricity networks create additional risks for the safe operation of nuclear facilities and pose a threat not only to Ukraine, but to Europe as a whole,” the Deputy Minister stated.
He also drew attention to the risks to nuclear safety at the temporarily occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, emphasizing that a stable external power supply remains one of the key prerequisites for the plant’s safe operation. However, Russia’s attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure repeatedly disrupt this supply, once again demonstrating the close connection between the resilience of the energy system and the safe operation of nuclear facilities.
Anatolii Kutsevol further briefed participants on Russia’s recent attacks against Ukraine’s nuclear infrastructure, including damage to the Centralized Spent Fuel Storage Facility in the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone and the consequences of the strike on the New Safe Confinement covering the destroyed fourth reactor unit of the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant.
“Attacks on nuclear infrastructure and spent nuclear fuel management facilities create unacceptable risks for Ukraine, neighbouring countries, and the international community as a whole. Such actions must not become normalized and require an appropriate international response,” Anatolii Kutsevol emphasized.
The Deputy Minister also highlighted the importance of maintaining and strengthening the IAEA’s international presence at Ukraine’s nuclear facilities, noting that the Agency’s experts contribute to independent monitoring, objective assessment of the security situation, and sustained international attention to the risks caused by Russian aggression.
Anatolii Kutsevol stressed that the only long-term solution for ensuring nuclear safety at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant remains its de-occupation, demilitarization, and return under the full control of Ukraine.
The Deputy Minister expressed gratitude to IAEA Member States for their political, technical, and financial support to Ukraine and called on international partners to continue joint efforts aimed at safeguarding nuclear safety and strengthening Ukraine’s energy resilience.
