IAEA Board of Governors: Agenda Item 7: Nuclear safety, security and safeguards in Ukraine - UK National Statement
IAEA Board of Governors, March 2023. Agenda Item 7: Nuclear safety, security and safeguards in Ukraine. UK National Statement
Thank you Chair,
The United Kingdom thanks the Director General for his latest report on Nuclear Safety, Security and Safeguards in Ukraine. We also welcome the Joint Statement delivered by Canada and supported by 50 Member States. This is another clear repudiation of Russia’s senseless actions against nuclear safety in Ukraine.
Chair,
As we mark one year of Russia’s illegal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, I would like to start by taking a moment to pay tribute to the bravery, resilience and determination of both the people of Ukraine - who continue to defend Ukraine from Russia’s war of aggression - and Ukrainian staff working at the Zaphorizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant who continue to work tirelessly to uphold nuclear safety under extremely difficult conditions.
Chair,
Russia’s barbaric attacks on Ukraine’s sovereign territory continue to be a violation of international law, and the UN charter. Unbelievably, as we have heard this morning, last night Russia launched further attacks against Ukraine’s energy infrastructure and its nuclear facilities. As the Director General said, as a result of these attacks the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant lost its only remaining connection to the electricity grid (for the sixth time since the start of Russia’s war of aggression). There are also reports of missile strikes near Rivne and South Ukraine NPPs.
Let us be clear. Only one country is responsible for these attacks – Russia. This is unacceptable and has to stop. Russia’s contempt for nuclear safety threatens us all. As the Russian Ambassador stated earlier this week – “attacks on nuclear facilities – including “in Ukraine and at Zaporizhzhia” - are unacceptable and must stop immediately. We urge him to act on his own words.
Frankly, Chair, I am shocked by the Russian Ambassador’s attempt just now to suggest that Russian shelling – such as last night’s – is not a risk to nuclear safety. The United Kingdom utterly condemns this further escalation in the strongest possible terms. We call again on the Russian Federation to cease its senseless actions against Ukraine’s nuclear facilities.
Chair, as the Russian Ambassador just said, “There is a problem and we can only solve it in one way”.
Chair, that way is for Russia to withdraw from Ukraine’s internationally recognised borders.
Chair,
The Director General’s report before us today is another helpful, independent assessment of the nuclear safety and security implications of Russia’s aggression in Ukraine. What happened last night was not the first time. As a result of attacks earlier in the reporting period, all of Ukraine’s Nuclear Power Plants lost external power. As the Director General set out in his report this is “a concerning development”. We also welcome the clarity in the Director General’s report about the seriousness of the situation at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. Put simply, continued Russian control of the plant and the Russian occupiers’ horrific treatment of its Ukrainian staff – despite the Russian Ambassador’s attempts to claim otherwise – are increasing the risk of a nuclear incident. This is irresponsible and unacceptable.
We share the Director General’s “grave concern” about decision making at the site, due to contradictions in the chain of command and note that each one of the Director General’s “seven indispensable pillars for nuclear safety security” have been compromised. We were also extremely concerned to see the Director General report that the Russian Federation has not responded to pleas from the Agency to remove military vehicles and equipment from the turbine halls of reactors one and two, further endangering nuclear safety.
Let me re-stress that point: military vehicles and equipment, which the IAEA has witnessed but the Russian Ambassador denies exists. Russia’s continued actions are not compatible with the actions of a responsible nuclear actor. The Russian Federation is solely responsible for this “dangerous, precarious and challenging” situation. The United Kingdom remains clear that the solution to this long list of threats to nuclear safety and security is for Russia to cease its illegal control of the Plant.
Chair,
We also condemn Russia’s efforts to spread disinformation about events in Ukraine – disinformation we have already heard repeatedly this morning from the Russian Ambassador, including the incredible accusation that Ukraine shelled its own electricity grid. We note that the DG’s report confirmed that the final analysis of samples taken by the IAEA in its investigation into Russian allegations of a `dirty bomb’ did not find any indications of undeclared nuclear activities or materials related to the development of radiological dispersal devices or high explosive compounds. This lays to rest another of Russia’s ridiculous, baseless allegation, although I note the Russian Ambassador’s attempt to revive these just now – more disinformation. The Russian Ambassador says Russia has never taken action against nuclear facilities. Those were his words. Occupying an NPP? Shelling its power supply? Stationing military vehicles in the turbine halls? These are all clear examples of actions taken against nuclear facilities.
Chair,
The United Kingdom continues to support the work of the IAEA in Ukraine. We welcome the establishment of a permanent Agency presence at Ukraine’s nuclear facilities in January. This will be important to help Ukrainian staff to manage the challenging situations they find themselves in.
Chair,
The United Kingdom will continue to support the Agency’s work in Ukraine. Since the crisis began, we have already provided over 4.5 million euros to support the Agency’s work in Ukraine and I am pleased to announce today a further 570,000 euros of United Kingdom funding to support the Agency’s nuclear security work in Ukraine. We support the Director General’s efforts to enhance nuclear safety and security around the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, including his attempts to establish a nuclear safety and security protection zone that protects these seven pillars and upholds Ukrainian sovereignty.
Finally Chair,
The United Kingdom would also like to inform Board Members of the actions we will continue to take at the IAEA and more broadly to ensure Russia is held accountable for its actions. We will continue to expose and sanction those supporting Russia’s illegal war and on 24 February, the United Kingdom announced a further package of sanctions which includes senior executives at Rosatom. We also reaffirm our commitment that no UK extra-budgetary funding to the IAEA will benefit the Russian Federation; that no UK experts will attend IAEA events in Russia; and that no UK experts will appear on panels for Agency events alongside participants from the Russian Federation. We call on other Member States to take similar action.
Thank you Chair.