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After the UN secretary, António Guterres, asked to demilitarize the plant, the state nuclear company charged that the Russian Army intends to exclude the atomic facilities from the system, something that would imply an energy disaster in the south of the country. For his part, the deputy foreign minister assured that a “new Chernobyl” will not happen under Russian control. The Turkish president promised to discuss the issue with Vladimir Putin.
Tension is growing in Zaporizhia over the nuclear power plant, the largest in Europe, which fell into Russian hands during the invasion of Ukraine.
With the tragic Chernobyl incident as a precedent, the alarms went off due to the number of soldiers mobilized within the complex.
After the Secretary General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, requested on Thursday the need to demilitarize the facilities and return to civilian management, a request denied by Moscow, fears increased of some management that harms the energy functionality in the south of the nation.
In that vein, the Ukrainian state nuclear company, Enegoatom, accused this Friday, August 19, that Russian forces plan to turn off the power blocks and disconnect them from the local power grid.
“There is information that the Russian occupation forces are planning to shut down the power blocks and disconnect them from power supply lines to the Ukrainian electrical system in the near future,” they added in a statement.
Shutting down the plant would cause extra pressure on supplies, with severe consequences in the south of the country and a complex context that includes a possible energy shortage and a harsh winter.
The vital power plant was seized by Russia last March. However, it still operates with local technicians, although only two of its six reactors are operating at full capacity.
Russia rules out a nuclear accident while the plant is under its power
In contrast, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov asserted that as long as the Zaporizhia headquarters is under Russian command, a “Chernobyl scenario” will not occur, referring to the 1986 nuclear disaster.
This happens after the Kremlin rejected the possibility of demilitarizing the facilities, as proposed by the UN. Even the spokesman for the diplomatic portfolio called it “unacceptable.”
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan stressed that he will enter into talks with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to refer to the situation in Zaporizhia.
“We will discuss this issue with Putin and specifically ask him that Russia do what it should as an important step for world peace,” Erdogan promised.
The Turkish head of state maintains good relations with both kyiv and Moscow, and on Thursday he also met in Lviv with Volodimir Zelensky.
“He has especially asked us that Russia dismantle all the mines and bases in Zaporizhia so that it quickly ceases to be alarming, because now it is a threat element,” he detailed.
Guterres visits the port of Odessa
The Secretary General of the United Nations continued his tour of the Ukrainian territory. After being present in Lviv on Thursday, he has now moved on to the iconic port city of Odessa.
In front of the media, Antonio Guterres emphasized that the electricity that is produced by the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant belongs to Ukraine. He, meanwhile, reiterated the request for Russia to respect that slogan and move its Army away.
The senior UN official stressed that Moscow’s mission to connect the plant with the Russian network that supplies Crimea is not correct.
“It is obvious that the electricity produced in Zaporizhia is Ukrainian electricity and is indispensable for the Ukrainian people, especially in winter. And this principle must be fully respected,” he stressed.
In another matter, he urged the international community to give “massive and generous support” so that Ukrainian cereals and Russian food and fertilizers can be received.
Faced with a situation of need on the part of developing countries, he asked that no obstacles be placed on the circulation of food.
“This is an agreement between two parties caught up in a bitter conflict. It is unprecedented in scope and scale. But there is still a long way to go on many fronts,” the official said.
“It is time for generous support so that developing countries can purchase food from this and other ports, and people can buy it,” Guterres concluded.
With Reuters and AFP
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