28,231 War Crimes Committed in Ukraine To Date
The International Community request that Russians leave the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant as their presence increases the risk of nuclear accidents.
No one wants a repeat of the Chernobyl nuclear damage, and Russia doesn’t seem to care as they shell the immediate vicinity in response to international calls for them to leave the plant.
Will Russia take any notice? Will the UN do anything constructive? What more can the international community do except to join in the fight to defeat Russia?
This statement is issued on behalf of Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Montenegro, Netherlands, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Türkiye, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United States of America, as well as the European Union.
The Russian Federation’s unprovoked and unjustified war of aggression against Ukraine, a sovereign country, is a gross violation of international law, including the UN Charter.
We strongly endorse the importance of the fundamental Seven Pillars of Nuclear Safety and Security as outlined by IAEA Director General Grossi. Russia’s control of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant - Europe’s largest nuclear power plant - poses a great danger to these principles. Deployment of Russian military personnel and weaponry at the nuclear facility is unacceptable and disregards the safety, security, and safeguards principles that all members of the IAEA have committed to respect.
The presence of Russian military forces at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant prevents the operator and the Ukrainian authorities from fulfilling their nuclear and radiation safety obligations in accordance with international conventions and IAEA safety standards, and prevents the IAEA from fulfilling its safeguards mandate.
We urge the Russian Federation to immediately withdraw its military forces and all other unauthorised personnel from the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, its immediate surroundings, and all of Ukraine so that the operator and the Ukrainian authorities can resume their sovereign responsibilities within Ukraine’s internationally recognized borders and the legitimate operating staff can conduct their duties without outside interference, threat, or unacceptably harsh working conditions. This will also enable the IAEA to carry out its verification pursuant to Ukraine’s safeguards obligations under safe and secure conditions and in a timely manner.
We fully support the work of the IAEA and its Director General to assist Ukraine in the areas of nuclear safety, security, and safeguards implementation during Russia‘s ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine, while respecting full Ukrainian sovereignty over its territory and infrastructure.
As it was already expressed in the Board of Governors Resolution GOV/2022/17, it is undeniable that Russia’s invasion and its continued presence at Ukraine’s nuclear facilities significantly raise the risk of nuclear incidents and accidents.
We strongly condemn Russia’s use of disinformation to try to justify its illegal actions in Ukraine.
The international community will hold Russia accountable for its aggression, and Russia must bear full responsibility for its unlawful actions in Ukraine.
Day 172 (14 August)
The Ukrainian Prosecutor General has released the figures of the current alleged war crimes they are investigating . The total to date is 28,231 since 24 February 2022.
The Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant has been the focus of the news for several weeks, and Zelenskyy issued a warning that any Russian that attacks the plant will become a target.
Vulnerable countries in the vicinity are preparing for the worst if Russia decides to invade their country by acquiring more weapons and trading their troops. The threat is very real and no one wishes to be caught out as Ukraine was.
Igor Girkin, a Russian warlord was caught and detained yesterday in Crimea. He was the one who started the war in the Donbas and who seized Slovyansk in 2014, so his capture is symbolic for the Ukrainians.
The Russians started shelling Enerhodar at 3 p.m., which is where the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is located. At least one civilian has died, who was walking his dog, and the dog died as well. The international calls for Russia to leave from the UN, and other countries fell on deaf ears as expected, and this was the Russian response
A statement signed by 42 countries urge Russia to withdraw from the Zaporizhzhia plant, as their actions could lead to a nuclear disaster. The countries included; Georgia, Turkey, Moldova, UK, the US, Norways, Japan, New Zealand and Australia.
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No sane person wants a repeat of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, this of course excludes Putin who is responsible for the illegal invasion. While the international community holds Russia accountable for its aggression, it's up to the UN to do likewise.