Ukraine calls for Russia's membership in IAEA board to be suspended

Ukraine has called for Russia's suspension from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) board of governors and has proposed amendments to the IAEA Statute to restrict Moscow's rights.

Source: Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal on social media following an extraordinary meeting of the IAEA board

Quote: "Russia has systematically attacked substations supplying external power to nuclear plants, undermining one of the IAEA's seven pillars of nuclear safety."

Details: Shmyhal thanked IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi and Ukraine's partners "for their strong condemnation [of Russia's actions] and commitment to support Ukraine's energy and nuclear security".

The energy minister said Ukraine has drawn attention to the situation at the occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), which has lost its external power supply 12 times since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion.

Quote: "We have urged member states to impose comprehensive sanctions on [Russian nuclear energy company] Rosatom and to restrict cooperation with the company in all possible areas."

More details: Shmyhal stressed that Russia, which deliberately undermines nuclear safety, cannot take full part in the agency's main political body.

Background: On 14 January, it was reported that Russian forces had stationed military vehicles next to nuclear reactors at the ZNPP, which constitutes a violation of international humanitarian law, which prohibits using nuclear power plants as military sites.

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