As They See It: Threatened Nuclear Plant ... Amnesty International

Getty Images  A Russian soldier stands guard outside Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant

"Any attack to a nuclear plant is a suicidal thing."

"We fully support the International Atomic Energy Agency [IAEA] in all their efforts in relation to create the conditions of stabilization of the [Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant]."

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres

"Ukrainian nationalists launched an artillery strike on the territory of the specified object on August 5. Two high-voltage power lines and a water pipeline were damaged as a result of the shelling."

"Only thanks to the effective and timely actions of the Russian military in covering the nuclear power facility its critical infrastructure was not affected."

Russian Embassy, Washington, statement

"Pokalchuk [resigned head of Amnesty International to Ukraine complained that the organization's employees in Ukraine asked Amnesty International for time allowing the Ukrainian Defense Ministry to respond to AI's findings before publication, but officials were given] very little time to respond."

"As a result of this although unwillingly, the organization created material that sounded like support of Russian narratives."

"Seeking to protect civilians, this study instead has become a tool of Russian propaganda."

Oksana Pokalchuk, formerly with Amnesty International

Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is the largest in Europe   Reuters

 

International inspectors must be given access to the Ukrainian Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant occupied by Russian troops, urged UN Secretary-General Guterres following frightening reports that Ukraine and Russia had accused one another of shelling the nuclear plant, Europe's largest atomic plant, on the weekend.

Mr. Guterres was speaking from Japan, visiting to attend the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony to commemorate the 77th anniversary of the world's first atomic bombing in Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II, toward the end of the war. The horrors that unfolded in both cities have been memorialized as the first global disaster of its kind, and the risk of another similar event taking place as a result of Russia's invasion of Ukraine is mind-shuddering.

Renewed Russian shelling on Saturday damaged three radiation sensors and injured a worker at the plant. This strike representing the second to hit the site in consecutive days. Leading Ukrainian President  Volodymyr Zelenskyy to accuse Russia of "nuclear terror", warranting more sanctions by the international community, and this time to focus on Moscow' nuclear sector. "There is no such nation in the world that could feel safe when a terrorist state fires at a nuclear plant", stated the president.

The plant has been occupied by Russian forces since early March. The plant's Ukrainian technicians have been left in place to continue operating and monitoring the plant's functionability, on watch to identify any potential emergencies. According to the Russia-installed area authority, it was Ukrainian forces that hit the site, with the use of a multiple rocket launcher, damaging administrative buildings and a storage facility. That might be the storage facility that Russian troops have packed full of military gear and explosives.

Rafael Mariano Grossi, chief of the IAEA, warned that the latest attack "underlines the very real risk of a nuclear disaster". Russian troops are focused on gaining full control of the Donbas region of east Ukraine. "Ukrainian soldiers are firmly holding the defence, inflicting losses on the enemy and are ready for any changes in the operational situation", stated Ukraine's general staff in a Monday update.

While these events are worryingly ongoing, the head of Amnesty International in Ukraine resigned her position with the human rights organization when it issued a report criticizing Ukraine's military. Ukrainian authorities responded with outrage, with the observation the report unfairly blamed the victim in Russia's war. Oksana Pokalchuk was on board when Amnesty highlighted Russian war crimes, but its latest report alleged that "Ukrainian fighting tactics endanger civilians", a charge that conflicted with the Ukrainian office of Amnesty's staff.

"Amnesty International deeply regrets the distress and anger that our press release on the Ukrainian military's fighting tactics has caused."

"Amnesty International's priority in this and in any conflict is ensuring that civilians are protected. Indeed, this was our sole objective when releasing this latest piece of research. While we fully stand by our findings we regret the pain caused."

Amnesty International statement

Rudnyts’ke school was the headquarters of the Russian military before the Ukrainan army retook control of the area in March. Photograph: Andrea Filigheddu/Zuma Press Wire/REX/Shutterstock