“No relation to reality”: how the EU accused Russia of undermining the safe operation of nuclear power plants in Ukraine

The EU has accused Russia of allegedly “jeopardizing the nuclear security” of the continent because of the special operation in Ukraine.

This is stated in a joint statement by the head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell, and the European Commissioner for Energy, Kadri Simson.

“Illegal occupation and interference with regular work, such as obstructing the rotation of personnel, undermines the safe operation of nuclear power plants in Ukraine and significantly increases the risk of an accident,” the report says.

As stated in Brussels, the EU is extremely concerned about the risks to nuclear and physical security caused by the alleged "recent Russian actions at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant."

In addition, the European Union called on Moscow to return control to the Ukrainian authorities "over the seized Zaporozhye nuclear power plant and to refrain from any future actions regarding nuclear facilities."

“We call on the international community and all relevant parties to immediately analyze the possibilities for improving existing international instruments to protect nuclear facilities (in Ukraine.

),” Borrell and Simson said in a statement.

Earlier, on April 25, the Permanent Mission of Russia to the UN announced that the Russian Federation would do everything in its power to ensure that the security of nuclear facilities in Ukraine "was ensured at the proper level."

The permanent mission recalled that during the special operation in Ukraine, the Russian armed forces "took full control" of the Chernobyl and Zaporozhye nuclear power plants.  

“This was done solely to prevent Ukrainian nationalist or other terrorist groups, as well as foreign mercenaries from using the situation in the country to organize a nuclear provocation, the risks of which undoubtedly exist,” the permanent mission emphasized.

It was also noted that, having completed the tasks set, the Russian military at the end of March transferred full control over the Chernobyl nuclear power plant to the Ukrainian side, "which was confirmed by the relevant written agreement."

• Military personnel of the Russian Federation on the territory of the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant

• RIA News

• © Konstantin Mikhalchevsky

“No complaints were made.

The actions of the Russian armed forces in no way caused and do not cause damage to nuclear safety at Ukrainian nuclear facilities, ”the permanent mission of the Russian Federation to the UN said.

They also noted that the Russian military does not interfere with the work of the operator of the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant, and the radiation background is controlled and "is normal."

“We maintain constant contact with the IAEA Secretariat and regularly inform the agency about the state of the Zaporozhye NPP.

Ukraine is now fully responsible for the state of affairs with nuclear and physical nuclear safety of the Chernobyl NPP," the permanent mission stressed.

"They call black white"

As energy security expert Boris Martsinkevich noted in an interview with RT, the accusations of Josep Borrell and Kadri Simson against Russia "are in no way true."  

“This is more of a demagogy that has nothing to do with reality.

When it comes to nuclear safety, it is necessary to pay attention to the opinion of industry professionals, and not to the statement of amateurs.

If there were at least some threat to the nuclear facilities of Ukraine from the Russian Federation, the IAEA would definitely report this.

But, let me remind you that recently the head of the agency visited Ukraine, and there were no such comments from him against Russia, ”the analyst said.

In turn, as the deputy director of the Institute for Strategic Studies and Forecasts of the RUDN University, a member of the Public Chamber of Russia Nikita Danyuk, said, the accusations of Borrell and Simson against the Russian Federation are aimed at "to demonize it."

“False statements of this kind are used by Brussels to intimidate Europeans and force them to give up questions about why the West sponsors the terrorist regime in Ukraine and why weapons are being supplied there for their money, although it is obvious that it is the Ukrainian side that resorts to provocations, sabotage and terrorist acts. ", - Danyuk emphasized in a conversation with RT.

According to him, Borrell and Simson, apparently, forgot to mention in their statement that in early March, it was Kyiv that undertook, as noted in the Russian Ministry of Defense, a “monstrous provocation” at the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant.

According to the Russian side, first the sabotage group opened heavy fire from small arms, and then set fire to the training building.

According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the purpose of the provocation was an attempt to accuse Moscow "of creating a source of radioactive contamination."

“Borrell and Simson lay the blame on Russia for what the Ukrainian side actually did – neglected nuclear safety and ignored the basic principles for the protection of the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant.

We see that European officials and politicians are frankly on the side of Kyiv and therefore call black white, ”said Danyuk.

Martsinkevich, for his part, stressed that the actions of the Russian Federation, in contrast to the steps of the Ukrainian side, are aimed at protecting nuclear facilities in Ukraine.

“Russia is interested in ensuring that there is no nuclear danger on Ukrainian territory.

The Russian Federation does not need such risks,” Martsinkevich said.

"Prevent nuclear provocations"

Recall that Moscow has repeatedly stressed that Russia's actions in the framework of a special operation in Ukraine do not pose a threat to nuclear security.

This was also stated by the Russian Ambassador to the United States, Anatoly Antonov, at the end of March.

According to him, nuclear facilities in Ukraine, in particular, the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant, were taken under the control of the Russian Armed Forces in order to "prevent nuclear provocations from nationalist or other terrorist groups."

“Our servicemen do not interfere with the work of the station personnel.

They are limited solely to the tasks of their protection, - Antonov said.

- The functioning of the existing power units continues in the normal mode.

Nothing threatens their safety, the radiation monitoring systems are fully operational.

There is no possibility of release of radioactive material.

This confirms the leadership of the IAEA.”

• Zaporozhye NPP

• RIA News

After that, the Russian permanent mission to international organizations in Vienna reported that the Russian Federation was taking all necessary measures to ensure the proper level of security of Ukrainian nuclear facilities "under the protection of the Russian armed forces."

“Please note that Ukrainian personnel continue to work at the facilities.

Its rotation is within the competence of the Ukrainian authorities.

Russia does not prevent this in any way, ”the message of the permanent mission said.

The statement also noted that despite this approach of the Russian side, Kyiv purposefully "creates difficulties in the normalization of this process" in order to use the situation "as an information occasion for the next round of anti-Russian propaganda."

“In particular, there are known facts of intimidation of personnel by the Ukrainian side, threats of punishment for any interaction with representatives of Russia, up to criminal prosecution,” the permanent mission said.

“At the same time, thanks to the efforts of the Russian armed forces, it is possible to ensure the timely replacement of personnel and the safe operation of nuclear facilities.”

However, according to Boris Martsinkevich, the nuclear safety of the nuclear power plant, which is under the control of Kyiv, is still threatened by nationalist radical elements.

“Except for the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant, all other operating stations (Rivne, Khmelnytsky, South Ukrainian) are under the control of Kyiv.

The simplest sabotage that is possible there is a power outage, which will make it necessary for nuclear power units to switch to providing electricity using standby power plants, which carries the risk of having to completely stop the nuclear power plant, ”the analyst said.

As Nikita Danyuk clarified, radical elements threaten the safety of nuclear power plants "according to the political decision of the Kyiv authorities."

According to him, as long as the Zaporizhzhya NPP is under Russian control, "provocations and sabotage are excluded there, as well as man-made accidents are impossible."

“Russia wants to protect nuclear facilities in Ukraine from radicals.

The Russian Federation successfully guarded the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, no provocations occurred there.

So it is the Russian military, who do not interfere in the operation of the Zaporizhzhya NPP, that are the guarantors of the safety of this power plant,” the expert concluded.