The world must ‘rethink nuclear safety’ after Russia’s seizure of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, Europe’s largest, Ukrainian energy minister German Galushchenko.
The international gathering hosted by France aims to raise funds to repair Ukraine’s damaged infrastructure as well as highlight the country’s support for Kyiv.
With at least 40 percent of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure demolished in the past two months, Galushchenko will join the conference to ask for materials and funds to get Ukrainians through the winter.
The said Russia’s war in Ukraine “completely changes our understanding of nuclear security”, pointing to the capture of the Zaporizhzhia plant as a turning point.
The nuclear plant, located in Ukraine’s east, was seized by Russian troops in March, and shelling has continued around the site.
“Nobody expected that someone could capture a nuclear plant… This situation absolutely pushes us to rethink what we should do from the point of view of safety,” Galushchenko told.
He added that Russia’s seizure of a nuclear plant “destroyed” any semblance of a safety net provided by agreements established by Western countries and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). “That’s a question, too, to all the countries of the world,” he said. “It’s not only a Ukrainian issue of nuclear safety. It means that any missiles which could fly, let’s say, up to 2,000 kilometres, could reach any nuclear reactor.”—INP
