SA abstains in IAEA vote on resolution calling on Russia to leave Zaporizhzhia

Vienna  —  The UN nuclear watchdog’s 35-nation board of governors on Thursday passed a resolution demanding that Russia end its occupation of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine, diplomats at the closed-door meeting said.

The text, which says the board calls on Russia to “immediately cease all actions against, and at, the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant and any other nuclear facility in Ukraine”, was passed with 26 votes in favour, two against and seven abstentions, the diplomats said.

Russia and China were the countries that voted against while SA, Egypt, Senegal, Burundi, Vietnam, India and Pakistan abstained, they said.

The resolution is the second on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine passed by the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) board of governors, and their content is very similar, though the first resolution in March preceded Russian forces taking control of Zaporizhzhia , Europe’s biggest nuclear power plant.

Both resolutions were proposed by Canada and Poland on behalf of Ukraine, which is not on the board, the IAEA’s top policymaking body that meets more than once a year.

The board “deplores the Russian Federation’s persistent violent actions against nuclear facilities in Ukraine, including the ongoing presence of Russian forces and (Russian nuclear body) Rosatom personnel at the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant,” the resolution’s text reads.

Both Russia and Ukraine have repeatedly accused each other of shelling the plant.

Russia’s mission to the IAEA said “the achilles heel of this resolution” was that it said nothing about the systematic shelling of the plant.

“The reason is simple — this shelling is carried out by Ukraine, which is supported and shielded by Western countries in every possible way,” it said in a statement.

The resolution adds that Russia’s occupation of the plant significantly increases the risk of a nuclear accident. Ukrainian staff continue to operate the plant in conditions that the IAEA has described as endangering the site's safety.

“This board took up the issue in March and adopted a resolution that deplored Russia’s violent actions and called upon Russia to immediately cease all actions against and at nuclear facilities in Ukraine and return control of them to the competent Ukrainian authorities,” the US statement to the board said.

“The very next day, Russia spurned that call by seizing the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant. Russia is treating Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure as a military prize, seeking to deprive Ukraine of control over its own energy resources and to use the plant as a base for military action against Ukraine,” it added.

Separately, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said on Thursday during a press conference in Kyiv with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky she was impressed with the speed at which Ukraine is proceeding in its bid to become a member of the EU.

“The accession process is well on track. It’s impressive to see the speed, the determination, the preciseness with which you are progressing.” Von der Leyen, who arrived in Kyiv on Wednesday for talks with Zelensky, added that the EU needs to do as much as possible to ensure Ukraine has “more business, more income”. 

Reuters