The United Nations General Assembly has called for the urgent withdrawal of Russian military personnel from the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine.
No Nuclear Disasters
According to Ziare the resolution, passed with 99 votes in favor, 9 against, and 60 abstentions, demands that control of the plant, the largest in Europe, be returned to Ukrainian authorities.
Captured by Russia shortly after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the Zaporizhzhia plant is currently shut down but requires external power to cool its nuclear material and prevent a meltdown.
Ukrainian UN Ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya urged member states to support the resolution, stating, "We owe it to future generations to ensure that the horrors of nuclear disasters are never repeated."
Immediate Cessation of Russian Attacks
Throughout the ongoing conflict, both Ukraine and Russia have accused each other of shelling the plant and damaging power lines. The UN resolution also calls for an immediate cessation of Russian attacks on Ukraine's critical energy infrastructure, which heightens the risk of a nuclear accident.
Russian Deputy Ambassador to the UN Dmitry Polyanskiy dismissed the resolution as a Western attempt to misrepresent the threats to Ukraine's nuclear facilities. During the General Assembly, he presented what he claimed were remnants of a Ukrainian drone used to attack the Zaporizhzhia plant on April 7, allegations that Ukraine has denied.
This resolution is another instance of Russia's diplomatic isolation during the conflict. Nearly three-quarters of the General Assembly members have repeatedly condemned Moscow's invasion and demanded troop withdrawals. The General Assembly has been the main platform for UN actions on Ukraine, as the 15-member Security Council is often deadlocked by Russia's veto power.
