UN Secretary General Demands Attack in Nuclear Power Plants Zaporizhzhia Ukraine Discontinued |
New York - United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres has urged that all military activities near Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant be stopped immediately. Russia and Ukraine blame each other for the shooting at Europe's largest nuclear facility.
Guterres expressed deep concern about the ongoing situation in and around the nuclear plant in southern Ukraine. He also asked all troops and military equipment stationed there to be withdrawn.
"Unfortunately, instead of de-escalation, over the last few days there have been reports of further, deeply worrying incidents that could, if continued, lead to disaster," the UN secretary general warned in a statement.
"I call on all military activities in the vicinity of the factory to stop immediately and not target the facility or its surroundings," he added as quoted by Anadolu, Thursday (11/8/2022).
Russia currently controls the facility after seizing it in March from Ukraine, and the surrounding area. Guterres also stressed the need to prevent further deployment of troops and military equipment to the facility.
The call comes as the UN Security Council prepares to hold an emergency meeting at Russia's request on Thursday evening to discuss the situation at the plant.
Rafael Mariano Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), is scheduled to brief the Security Council on the security situation at the site. Zaporizhzhia station generates about 20% of Ukraine's electricity. Russia took control of the facility on March 4, roughly two weeks after starting its offensive against Ukraine in late February.