UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – The United States and Russia clashed at the United Nations Security Council on Friday over the shelling of a Ukrainian nuclear power plant, with Washington accusing Moscow of “reckless” behavior and Moscow blaming Ukrainian “provocations.”.
The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the largest in Europe, has been occupied by Russian forces since the early days of the war in Ukraine, which began with Russia’s Feb. 24 invasion..
Ukraine and Russia have repeatedly accused each other of shelling the plant, raising fears of a nuclear disaster. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has called for an immediate end to military action around the plant..
On Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Russian shelling had damaged the plant’s power lines, forcing it to switch to backup diesel generators..
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the shelling was “a grave and irresponsible escalation” that put the region at risk..
“Russia’s reckless actions are threatening the safety and security of Ukraine, Europe, and the world,” Blinken said in a statement..
“We call on Russia to cease its military operations immediately, to withdraw all its forces from Ukraine, and to respect Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty,” he said..
Russian Ambassador to the UN Vassily Nebenzia said the shelling was carried out by Ukrainian “provocations” and that Moscow was doing everything possible to ensure the safety of the plant..
“We are doing everything to ensure the safety of the nuclear power plant, including the creation of a demilitarized zone around it,” Nebenzia said..
“We call on the international community to condemn the provocations of the Kyiv regime and to demand that it immediately cease its shelling of the nuclear power plant,” he said..
The Security Council meeting was held at the request of Ukraine, which has called for the deployment of an international peacekeeping force to protect the nuclear plant..
The United States and its allies have supported the call for a peacekeeping force, but Russia has rejected it, saying it would be a violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty..
The Security Council is likely to discuss the issue further in the coming days, but it is unclear whether it will be able to reach a consensus on a resolution..
The shelling of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant has raised fears of a nuclear disaster in Europe. The IAEA has called for an immediate end to military action around the plant, but both Ukraine and Russia have accused each other of shelling the facility. The Security Council is likely to discuss the issue further in the coming days, but it is unclear whether it will be able to reach a consensus on a resolution..
