New Delhi: India on Friday said it was closely following the developments regarding the “safety” of Ukraine’s nuclear power reactors and facilities. This comes after Russian shelling hit Europe’s largest nuclear power plant sparking a fire at one of its six reactors and raising fears of a disaster. Ukranian firefighters later extinguished the blaze at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant and Ukraine’s state nuclear regulator said no changes in radiation levels were recorded so far.
“We continue to carefully follow developments regarding safety of Ukraine’s nuclear power reactors and facilities. India attaches highest importance to ensuring safety and security of nuclear facilities as any accident involving the nuclear facilities may have severe consequences,” India’s Permanent Representative to UN TS Tirumurti said while addressing at an UN Security Council session, news agency ANI reported.
“India accords the highest priority to the discharge by the IAEA of its safeguards and monitoring activities, in accordance with its Statute in an effective, non-discriminatory and efficient manner,” Tirumurti said.
We continue to carefully follow developments regarding safety of Ukraine’s nuclear power reactors & facilities. India attaches highest importance to ensuring safety &security of nuclear facilities as any accident involving the nuclear facilities may have severe consequences:India pic.twitter.com/035aOyk3IG
— ANI (@ANI) March 4, 2022
Tirumurti said over 1,000 Indians were stranded in war-hit Ukraine where their safety remains a concern and urged both sides to provide safe humanitarian corridor to the them.
“While we’re discussing nuclear dimension of this conflict, there is a pressing humanitarian crisis confronting us in Ukraine, where safety of civilians including 1,000s of Indians is at stake. We hope that another round of talks between the two sides (Russia and Ukraine) leads to safe humanitarian corridor,” Tirumurti said.
While we're discussing nuclear dimension of this conflict, there is a pressing humanitarian crisis confronting us in #Ukraine, where safety of civilians including 1000s of Indians is at stake. We hope that 2nd round of talks b/w 2 sides leads to safe humanitarian corridor: India pic.twitter.com/4yIyMDDzZj
— ANI (@ANI) March 4, 2022
Russian troops Friday seized the biggest nuclear power plant in Europe after a middle-of-the-night attack that set it on fire and briefly raised worldwide fears of a catastrophe in the most chilling turn in Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine yet.
Firefighters put out the blaze, and no radiation was released, UN and Ukrainian officials said, as Russian forces pressed on with their week-old offensive on multiple fronts and the number of refugees fleeing the country topped 1.2 million.
In the attack on the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in the southeastern city of Enerhodar, the chief of the UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Mariano Grossi, said a Russian “projectile” hit a training center, not any of its six reactors.
(With inputs from AP)
