Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko called on his European colleagues to support Ukraine’s candidacy for the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
The Energy Ministry reported in its Telegram channel on Monday that Galushchenko made such a proposal during an informal meeting of EU energy and transport ministers in Stockholm on February 27.
“The Energy Minister said that Ukraine is putting forward its candidacy for the IAEA Board of Governors for 2023-2025 and urged the meeting participants to join the discussion of this issue and support the Ukrainian application,” the ministry said.
The head of the Energy Ministry during the meeting thanked the EU representatives for the 10th package of sanctions against Russia and stressed the need to not only maintain the pressure on the aggressor, but also to extend it to all areas of the Russian energy sector, in particular the nuclear industry, the ministry said.
According to Galushchenko, the time has come to implement sanctions against Rosatom.
“It is time to go further and impose sanctions against Rosatom, which covers up the Russian regime’s nuclear terrorism and sponsors the Russian army. We welcome the decision by Finland, Bulgaria and the Czech Republic to refuse to cooperate with Russia in the nuclear industry and call on other partners to take this step,” the minister said.
According to the IAEA, the Board of Governors is one of the agency’s two governing bodies along with the annual general conference of the IAEA member states.
The Council reviews the IAEA’s financial statements, program and budget and makes recommendations on them to the general conference. It reviews applications for membership in the agency, approves safeguards agreements, and publishes the IAEA’s safety standards. It also appoints the Agency’s Director General, who is approved by the General Conference.
An IAEA permanent monitoring mission began its work at the Khmelnitsky NPP on January 23, the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine (SNRIU) said on its website Tuesday.
“Last week, the same International Atomic Energy Agency missions were launched at the operating Pivdenno-Ukrainian and Rivne nuclear power plants, as well as at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, which is in the decommissioning phase,” the inspection noted.
IAEA specialists have been working permanently at the Zaporizhzhya NPP, which is under occupation by Russian invaders, since September 2022.
The SNRIU informed that the KNPP hosted a working meeting with the participation of representatives of the IAEA, the acting head of the State Nuclear Regulatory Committee of Ukraine, Oleg Korikov, the chief state inspector for nuclear and radiation safety of Ukraine, as well as the KNPP Director General Andriy Koziura. The parties stated that the main goal of the mission was to maintain nuclear and radiation safety at Ukrainian nuclear facilities under the conditions of the war unleashed by Russia.
At the same time, Gosatomregulirovanie head Oleg Korikov once again noted the importance of documenting all the impacts on nuclear and radiation safety resulting from the Russian aggression, the SNRIU added.
As reported, the IAEA deployed its permanent monitoring missions at all Ukrainian nuclear power plants in response to an official request from the Ukrainian government.
After opening a permanent mission of the International Atomic Energy Agency at the Pivdenno-Ukrainian NPP, such missions began their work at the Rivne NPP and in the Chernobyl NPP zone, said Rafael Grossi, director general of the agency.
“IAEA continues to expand its presence in Ukraine. Today I launched the IAEA Support and Assistance Mission in Chernobyl,” Grossi said on Twitter Wednesday.
He noted that agency specialists will remain at all Ukrainian nuclear power plants to provide vital nuclear safety assistance “during these difficult and challenging times.”
Earlier, the IAEA Director General announced the opening of a mission to the Rivne NPP.
For its part, the RNPP noted on Facebook on Wednesday that two IAEA nuclear safety and security experts remain at the RNPP site for a permanent mission.
“Their purpose will be to continuously monitor and control the nuclear and radiation safety of the power plant. The mission members will report on any threats that may be posed by military activities and will also keep in touch with the agency about the needs of the plant,” the report explains.
RAES Director General Pavel Kovtonyuk said he hopes IAEA’s permanent missions to nuclear power plant sites will not allow the aggressor country to disrupt the safety and physical protection of the power plants.
“The experts will also see the work of our personnel and equipment during probable attacks on the energy infrastructure. Our close liaison with the IAEA will emphasize the importance of security issues for nuclear power plants by international institutions and the UN,” Kovtonyuk commented, as quoted in the RAES report.
According to the head of Gosatomregulirovanie Oleg Korikov, cited in a report of RAEC, it is necessary to work out mechanisms of complete cessation of cooperation with Russia in the use of nuclear energy and mechanisms to limit the rights of Russia at the IAEA.
The RAEC specified that up to 12 experts of the agency would work at all Ukrainian nuclear power plants, which should become an important step in the work to assist Ukraine in the conditions of Russian aggression.
As it was reported, on 16 January, the IAEA mission started its work at the Pivdenno-Ukrainian nuclear power plant, and since September, the agency’s permanent mission has been working at the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. The decision to open an IAEA mission at the Khmelnitsky nuclear power plant was also announced.
A mission of the international atomic energy agency has opened its presence at the Pivdenno-Ukrainian nuclear power plant, an Interfax-Ukraine correspondent reports.
The flag of the IAEA, in the presence of its head Rafael Grossi, was hoisted on the territory of the plant on Monday.
Grossi said the mission was badly needed because of the military situation in Ukraine.
“I am happy to be here. After Zaporizhzhia NPP, we are expanding our presence to other nuclear power plants in Ukraine. Today is the first step, and we will continue to work in this direction,” Grossi said after the flag-raising ceremony.
For his part, Energy Minister Herman Galushchenko welcomed the start of the IAEA mission, saying that it was important because of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and the threats that the aggressor poses by terrorizing Ukrainians even on New Year’s Eve.
As reported, the IAEA announced the deployment of its permanent missions to three nuclear power plants in Ukrainian-controlled territory – in addition to the PAEC, the Khmelnytsky and Rivne nuclear power plants, and the Chernobyl nuclear power plant area. The IAEA permanent mission has been working for several months at the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia NPP, the largest in Europe.
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi will visit several nuclear power plants in Ukraine next week.
“Grossi will be in Ukraine next week to establish a permanent presence of nuclear safety experts at all nuclear power facilities in the country,” the IAEA said in a statement.
“The director general will visit the Pivdeno-Ukrainian NPP, the Rivne NPP, and the Chernobyl NPP to launch missions, which will include two experts at each site,” the document stresses.
It is noted that two experts will also be deployed at the Khmelnytskyy nuclear power plant.
The IAEA reminds that the agency has already ensured the permanent presence of four experts at the Zaporizhzhia NPP, which is currently located in the territory occupied by the Russian aggressor.
“We must continue to do everything possible to prevent the risk of a serious nuclear accident,” Grossi said in a statement.
In addition, during his visit to Kiev, the director general will meet with senior representatives of the Ukrainian government and discuss proposals concerning the creation of a safety zone around the ZNPP.
Earlier, the head of the State Inspectorate for Nuclear Regulation (SNRIU, Gosatomregulirovanie), Oleg Korikov, said that an IAEA mission would soon arrive at all three nuclear power plants located in Ukrainian-controlled territory.
The IAEA will increase the number of its staff at Ukrainian nuclear power plants, the international organization’s director general Raphael Grossi said Tuesday.
“I have also confirmed that the IAEA will increase its presence at all nuclear power plants in Ukraine to ensure the protection of the energy infrastructure,” Grossi wrote on Twitter.
In addition, he said he met with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba.
“We will continue to work together to urgently create a nuclear safety zone around the Zaporizhzhya NPP,” Grossi added, posting a photo with Kuleba.
