Urgent agreement needed on safe perimeter around Zaporizhzhia NPP - UN Secretary General

The relevant statement was published on the UN website, Ukrinform reports.

“I am calling on the military forces of the Russian Federation and Ukraine to immediately cease all military activities in the immediate vicinity of the plant and not to target its facilities or surroundings. I urge the parties to withdraw any military personnel and equipment from the plant and refrain from any further deployment of forces or equipment to the site. The facility must not be used as part of any military operation. Instead, urgent agreement is needed at a technical level on a safe perimeter of demilitarization to ensure the safety of the area,” he stated.

The General-Secretary also stressed that the United Nations continues to fully support the critical work of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and its efforts to ensure the safe operations of the Zaporizhzhia NPP.

 “I urge the parties to provide the IAEA mission with immediate, secure and unfettered access to the site.  We must be clear that any potential damage to Zaporizhzhia or any other nuclear facilities in Ukraine, or anywhere else, could lead to catastrophic consequences not only for the immediate vicinity, but for the region and beyond. This is wholly unacceptable,” he stated.

As reported by Ukrinform, Russian invaders have been actively shelling the site of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in recent days, as well as the city of Enerhodar. Enemy attacks on the ZNPP pose a serious threat to nuclear safety.