Fighting at the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant: international law flouted
Surveillance camera footage shows the nuclear power plant in Zaporizhzhya, Ukraine, March 4, 2022. Zaporizhzhya NPP via REUTERS - Zaporizhzhya NPP
Text by: Simon Rozé Follow
3 mins
Fighting took place on the night of March 3-4 at the site of the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant in central Ukraine.
A fire broke out in a building annexed to a reactor, but without endangering the nuclear installations.
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Its six reactors make it the largest nuclear power plant in Europe.
Located on the Dnieper upstream from Kiev, Zaporizhia was the scene of fighting last night.
During the exchange of fire, a fire broke out in a building dedicated to training.
Located several hundred meters from the only reactor currently in operation, it was brought under control without any radioactive consequences.
“
The radioactivity readings are normal
”, assured Rafael Grossi, the director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in an emergency press conference a few hours later.
"
From what we understand, it was a Russian projectile that started the fire, although we don't know what type it was
."
"
This is probably collateral damage following an operation aimed at taking control of the site
," said Benjamin Hautecouverture of the Foundation for Strategic Research.
Indeed, a large part of the electricity produced in Ukraine comes from the Zaporijjia power plant, so it is of major strategic interest for the Russian attacker.
►
Also to listen: Taken from the Zaporijjia nuclear power plant: "It is obviously a war objective"
Contrary to international law
Although the site is now controlled by the Russian army, the plant is still operated today by its usual Ukrainian teams.
However, this attack contravenes many international principles and agreements, foremost among them the “7 pillars” that IAEA member states, including Russia and Ukraine, must respect.
The first of these commandments is to guarantee the physical integrity of civil nuclear installations at all times.
"
This pillar has not been respected
", regretted Rafael Grossi.
"
We were lucky that there were no radioactive releases and that the integrity of the reactors was not compromised
," continued the IAEA boss.
Following this operation, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Moscow of resorting to "
nuclear terror
", then called for "
an immediate strengthening of sanctions against the nuclear terrorist state
".
The choice of these terms "
is not insignificant
", notes Benjamin Hautecouverture.
“
Russia itself is at the origin of an international convention within the framework of the United Nations against nuclear terrorism.
So it turns out that she might have been guilty of an offense for which she would have to account.
This would make her a terrorist actor within the meaning of this convention
”.
It is in this context that the United Kingdom has requested the urgent holding of a meeting of the UN Security Council in order to study the consequences of this attack on the plant.
IAEA Mediation
Faced with a situation that he describes as precarious, Rafael Grossi offered his services to Ukrainian and Russian actors for mediation: “
The IAEA is an international organization and we have a clear mandate to guarantee safety and security
”.
The head of the agency therefore indicated that he was ready to go to Chernobyl himself in order to ensure that the seven pillars he mentioned were guaranteed.
"
It is an excessively responsible and intelligent political initiative
", comments Benjamin Hautecouverture.
“
Going there in person will give more weight to this founding principle of respect for the integrity of civilian nuclear installations.
He thus wishes to obtain an agreement from the belligerent parties, in the same way as one can have an agreement for humanitarian corridors for example
”, continues the researcher.
►
To read also
:
War in Ukraine: on nuclear deterrence, "we must take Vladimir Putin very seriously"
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