President: Partners must curb Russia’s reckless behavior for global security

According to Ukrinform, citing the Office of the President, Volodymyr Zelensky made this statement during the International Chernobyl Conference on Recovery and Nuclear Safety.

The head of state emphasized that the world had drawn security, political, and moral conclusions from the Chernobyl disaster. But no one could have expected that decades after the accident, someone would want to turn Chernobyl and the Exclusion Zone itself into a war zone. 

Zelensky recalled that the Russians attempted to advance on Kyiv through the Chernobyl zone, dug military positions in restricted forests, drove heavy equipment across contaminated land, fired from there, destroyed equipment, and mocked Ukrainians working at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant and other related facilities. 

“Some of our Ukrainian men, particularly from the National Guard of Ukraine, who were guarding the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, are, unfortunately, still being held captive in Russia. We have already managed to bring many of them back, but, unfortunately, some are still there, in Russian captivity, and we remember them and will definitely bring them back,” the Head of State emphasized.

Volodymyr Zelensky stressed that the Russians have turned the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant—the largest NPP in Europe—into a target of their war.

“They are shelling our cities and villages from there, storing weapons, ammunition, and military equipment at the ZNPP, have mined the plant’s perimeter, and are effectively holding our city of Energodar hostage. The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant has already experienced a complete power outage fourteen times,” the President noted.

According to the Head of State, everyone who deals with Russia must realize that it is an utterly irresponsible and, in many ways, foolish power that must be restrained for the sake of global security.

“That is precisely why the world needs strong sanctions; the fight against evil must be strong, and support for those who defend life must also be strong enough,” Volodymyr Zelensky emphasized.

“The mere fact that the Russians managed to strike even the containment structure covering the remains of the fourth reactor block with a drone proves that Russia cannot be a participant in civilized international relations,” the President stressed. 

He also added that sanctions against Russia for this war must be strengthened, and the world must not allow the aggressor to adapt to the restrictions. The head of state separately expressed gratitude for the unblocking of the 20th EU sanctions package and to every country that is strengthening its national sanctions regimes. 

“It is a matter of principle that global sanctions also extend to the Russian nuclear industry and all associated legal entities and individuals. We must clearly state that only Ukrainian control, only Ukrainian specialists, and Ukrainian safety protocols can guarantee that there will be no radiation problems at the Zaporizhzhia plant,” Volodymyr Zelensky concluded. 

As reported by Ukrinform, European Commissioner for Economy and Productivity Valdis Dombrovskis stated that Russia will be held accountable for the strike on the Chernobyl shelter. 

Photo: Danylo Antoniuk