Ukraine calls for sanctions on Russia's Rosatom over Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha has called on the international community to impose sanctions on Rosatom, Russia's state nuclear company, accusing it of direct involvement in the occupation of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. He said Russia is endangering Europe's nuclear security and that the plant must be returned to Ukraine.

In a message posted on Sunday on platform X, Sybiha noted that Zaporizhzhia, Europe's largest nuclear plant, had been cut off from external electricity supply for the 16th time since the beginning of the year. The plant was forced to use emergency diesel generators to provide the energy needed to cool the reactors.

“Russia has no right to hold an entire continent hostage to the consequences of its occupation.”

According to the Ukrainian minister, fuel reserves are sufficient for only two weeks of limited operation. He stated that the same country illegally occupying the plant continues to destroy Ukraine's energy infrastructure, seriously endangering European nuclear security.

Sybiha accused Moscow of using nuclear security as a tool of blackmail and warned that the risks generated by the plant's situation are not limited to Ukrainian territory. He said Russia has no right to hold an entire continent hostage to the consequences of its occupation.

The minister called for an international response proportionate to the danger and requested sanctions against Rosatom, which is involved in administering the occupied plant. He said sanctions against Rosatom should have been imposed long ago and that a company directly involved in the illegal occupation of a nuclear plant cannot continue its international activity as if nothing had happened.

Sybiha thanked Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, and his team for their efforts to maintain nuclear safety at Zaporizhzhia. He stressed that the only lasting solution is returning the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant to its rightful owner and operator, Ukraine.