Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant. “Threat of Nuclear Catastrophe”: UN experts call on Russia to immediately stop attacks on Ukraine’s energy system Peace and Security
The attacks by Russian armed forces on Ukraine’s energy system on November 17, 2024 pose a threat of nuclear catastrophe that must be prevented at all costs. This was stated on Monday by independent UN experts, calling on the Russian government to immediately stop attacks on energy facilities.
On October 22, 2024, 13 UN Special Rapporteurs and Working Group members have already sent an appeal to the Russian government, emphasizing that attacks on energy infrastructure are prohibited by international humanitarian law.
“Russia’s latest large-scale missile attack on Ukraine’s energy system on November 17 resulted in further significant damage to electrical substations that play a key role in the operation of Ukraine’s nuclear power plants,” the experts noted in their new statement.
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The head of the UN condemned the large-scale Russian strikes on the energy infrastructure of Ukraine
They reminded the Russian authorities that the International Criminal Court in June 2024 issued arrest warrants for high-ranking Russian officials in connection with previous strikes on Ukrainian power plants and substations. The experts also cited reports from the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission, which state that civilians in Ukraine are suffering as a result of the strikes on the energy system of Ukraine.
In addition, the experts cited reports that employees of the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant and other facilities were subjected to intimidation, arbitrary detention, forced disappearance and torture by Russian troops.
“With Ukraine reportedly losing two-thirds of its power generation capacity, further damage to its power grid could lead to a complete blackout, increasing the risk of nuclear reactors losing access to power to maintain safety systems. Such an event could lead to a nuclear disaster potentially worse than the 2011 Fukushima or 1986 Chernobyl accidents,” the statement said.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has agreed to expand its activities to include inspections of electrical substations, but the full deployment of the expanded mission has not yet been announced, the group said.
“We reiterate our urgent call on the Russian armed forces to immediately cease attacks on power plants, substations, transmission and distribution lines and other energy infrastructure in Ukraine in order to prevent the risk of a nuclear catastrophe,” the independent experts emphasized.
The statement was signed by: Special Rapporteur on the implications for human rights of the environmentally sound management and disposal of hazardous substances and waste Marcos A. Orellana, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Russian Federation Mariana Katsarova, Special Rapporteur on the human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment Astrid Puentes Riaño, Independent Expert on human rights and international solidarity Cecilia Bayliet, Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association Gina Romero, Special Rapporteur on the right to education Farida Shaheed, members of the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances Gabriella Citroni, Grazyna Baranovska, Awa Balde, Ana Lorena Delgadillo Perez, Mohammed Al-Obaidi, Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance Ashwini K.P.
Special Rapporteurs and Working Groups are part of the so-called Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures experts work on a voluntary basis; they are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work.