India expresses concern over shelling near Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia NPP

India expressed its concern over the reports of shelling near the fuel storage facility of Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) in Ukraine and called for mutual restraint.

Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant
A video grab released by the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant shows bright flaring object landing on its premises | Photo: AP
ANI US
3 min read Last Updated : Aug 12 2022 | 11:55 PM IST

India on Thursday expressed its concern over the reports of shelling near the fuel storage facility of Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) in Ukraine and called for mutual restraint as the Russian military operations entered nearly six months.

Addressing a UNSC Briefing, India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ruchira Kamboj said, " India expresses its concern over the reports of shelling near the spent fuel storage facility of the Zaporizhya Nuclear Power Plant. We call for mutual restraint so as not to endanger the safety and security of nuclear facilities."

This statement came after Ukraine accused Russia of shelling the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) again on Thursday.

Kamboj said that they are following the developments regarding the safety and security of Ukraine's nuclear power reactors and facilities. She further added that India attaches high importance to ensuring the safety and security of nuclear facilities, as any accident involving nuclear facilities could potentially have severe consequences for public health and the environment.

"We also accord high 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, and we value the efforts of the Agency in this regard. We have noted the latest information available with regard to the nuclear power plants and facilities in Ukraine, including the updates published on August 9 and 10 by the IAEA, and today's updates on developments," Kamboj said.

India continues to remain concerned over the situation in Ukraine. Kamboj reminded the UNSC that ever since the conflict between the two countries started, India has consistently called for an immediate cessation of hostilities and an end to violence. India has called upon both sides to return to the path of diplomacy and dialogue. India supports all diplomatic efforts to end the conflict.

"While we are discussing the nuclear dimension of this conflict, we need also to be acutely cognizant of the impact of the Ukraine conflict on developing countries, particularly, on the supply of food grains, fertilizer and fuel. It is important for all of us to appreciate the importance of equity, affordability, and accessibility when it comes to food grains. Open markets must not become an argument to perpetuate inequity and promote discrimination," she added.

Kamboj also welcomed the Secretary General-backed initiative to open the exports of grains from Ukraine via the Black Sea and the facilitation of the exports of Russian food and fertilizers.

"These efforts demonstrate that differences can be resolved through sustained dialogue and diplomacy, which has been the consistent position of India. We continue to reiterate that the global order should be anchored on international law, the UN Charter and respect for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of states," she noted.

Earlier, over the Zaporizhzhia NPP attack, Zelenskyy urged the international community to force the Russian army to leave the occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant after multiple strikes hit the compound.

"The entire world must react immediately to chase out the occupiers from Zaporizhzhia. Only the Russians' full withdrawal... would guarantee nuclear safety for all of Europe," Zelenskyy said in his daily video address.

Moscow and Kyiv have each accused the other of striking the compound on Thursday and over the weekend.

Notably, Russia launched a "special military operation" in Ukraine on February 24, which the West has termed an unprovoked war. As a result of this, the Western countries have also imposed several crippling sanctions on Moscow.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Quarterly Starter

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

Save 46%

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Access to Exclusive Premium Stories Online

  • Over 30 behind the paywall stories daily, handpicked by our editors for subscribers

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

Topics :IndiaRussia Ukraine Conflict

First Published: Aug 12 2022 | 9:31 AM IST

Next Story