Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko’s answer to a media question on the situation with the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant

Question: On May 30, 2023, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi briefed the UN Security Council on the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP). Ukraine refused to support his proposals designed to avert Kiev’s attacks against the ZNPP. What would be your comment regarding this situation? What is Russia’s position on the five principles Rafael Grossi put forward to help ensure nuclear safety and security at ZNPP?

Alexander Grushko: We are grateful to Rafael Grossi for the attention he pays to ZNPP’s safety. Ukraine has long been attacking it, as well as making threats to attack it. This year alone, Rafael Grossi visited Russia on several occasions, which included a visit to the Russian nuclear power plant in the Zaporozhye Region.

As for Ukraine’s response, we must note that it did not come as a surprise for us. Kiev has blocked all IAEA Director General’s initiatives to reinforce ZNPP’s safety: first the draft trilateral agreement, and later the two separate bilateral agreements between Russia and the IAEA and between Ukraine and the IAEA. By the same token, the Ukrainian authorities rejected the IAEA chief’s proposals to establish a Nuclear Safety and Security Protection Zone at the plant. Announced following Rafael Grossi’s visit to the ZNPP on September 1, 2022, this initiative contained several important elements aimed at stopping attacks against the station by Ukraine. Assisted by Russia, the IAEA Director General and the agency’s Secretariat have done a lot to move in this direction, but this initiative never materialised, which is attributable to Kiev’s unwillingness to come to an agreement or assume any obligations to refrain from targeting the ZNPP with its strikes.

Kiev has so far excelled at creating safety risks for the ZNPP, and its zeal could be put to better use. There is an explanation why this is happening. In fact, just like with many other matters, Ukraine does not have the legal standing to deal with this issue. The country’s leadership strictly follows the instructions it receives from Washington and London, which do not have any problems sacrificing people’s lives and nuclear safety on the European continent for the sake of their political interests. Unfortunately, governments in many other Western countries have been playing along. We do recognise that as long as the regime brought to power by the 2014 bloody government coup remains in power in Ukraine, it will strictly comply with the orders it receives from the United States and the UK.

In these conditions, we will take all necessary action to improve ZNPP’s safety as per Russia’s national laws and the commitments we have under the corresponding international legal instruments to which our country is a party.

In light of the recommendations to improve ZNPP’s nuclear safety set forth by the IAEA Director General in his statement, we will continue ensuring the plant’s protection so as to prevent Kiev and the so-called collective West from committing grave and irresponsible violations. We have never deployed any military assets or offensive weapons at the ZNPP and do not intend to do so. All the forces present at the ZNPP are there to ensure its defence from Ukrainian attacks, as well as for dealing with their possible consequences.

Overall, we can say that Rafael Grossi’s UN Security Council briefing may lay the foundation that would eventually enable the IAEA Secretariat to disclose the information it has regarding the Ukrainian attacks against the ZNPP, as well as openly condemn these irresponsible actions by Kiev. We expect the agency’s senior executives to prove that their organisation is impartial and unbiased on this matter.