In address marking the 40th anniversary of the Chornobyl disaster, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy claimed “that Russia cannot be a participant in civilized international relations.”
This is coming after a drone strike hit a transport workshop at Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) , killing a civilian driver and causing a power loss, as reported by United24 Media on Monday morning.
IAEA personnel stationed at the facility confirmed the incident and said they would investigate the circumstances. The agency’s team, which maintains a permanent presence at the plant, continues to monitor the situation closely.
The plant has been under Russian occupation since March 2022, with the International Atomic Energy Agency reporting regular safety threats throughout this period
On April 14, the plant briefly lost its external power supply, which is essential for maintaining internal safety systems, before electricity was restored within approximately an hour and a half, according to Ukraine’s state nuclear operator Energoatom. The outage was attributed to what the company described as the “incompetent actions” of Russian occupying forces.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a statement wrote: “The Russians have turned our Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant – the largest plant in Europe – into an instrument of their war. They launch attacks from there against our cities and villages, store weapons, ammunition, and military equipment at the plant, mined its perimeter, and are effectively holding our city of Enerhodar hostage. The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant has already gone through a full blackout fourteen times.
“When the world deals with Russia, everyone must understand that they are dealing with a completely irresponsible – and in many ways simply reckless – force that must be truly constrained for the sake of the security of us all.
“That is why global sanctions must be strong, resistance to evil must be strong, and support for those defending lives must also be sufficiently strong.
“The very fact that the Russians even went so far as to strike the confinement structure that covers the remains of the fourth power unit with a drone shows that Russia cannot be a participant in civilized international relations.” He summated