By KYIV. Nov 2 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Within a meeting of the Office of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities, Ukraine proposed to form an international team to develop new principles of energy security, the Energy Ministry said on Wednesday.
According to Deputy Energy Minister Yaroslav Demchenkov, the world agenda should change the attitude towards energy, which at the current level of development has become more than just a branch of the economy.
"The future of mankind depends on energy. And the future of energy depends on how much we can ensure its security. We must strengthen our arsenal of energy protection. We invite the global community to form an international team to develop new principles of energy security," the press service quoted him as saying.
Demchenkov noted that Russia continues to attack Ukrainian civilian energy facilities, jeopardizing the supply of electricity, heat, and water to civilians. "The supply of energy is being blackmailed. Energy resources are tried to be exchanged for sovereignty and people’s lives. The world is in the stage of a comprehensive use of energy as a weapon," the deputy minister explained.
Given this, the existing rules of energy and nuclear security are becoming irrelevant, so the international agenda, including energy, requires changes.
"We need to create a system of protection against the physical capture or destruction of energy facilities. Effective protection of energy facilities is as important aspect of the energy transition as carbon-free generation. A system of such protection should be provided by default when creating new energy systems," the deputy minister said.
According to him, now the threat is shelling and seizure of nuclear power plants – as is the case with the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant, which is under the control of Russian invaders, whose barbaric actions several times led to blackouts at the plant.
"An attack on the energy sector should trigger an automatic mechanism for a collective response – this is the only way we can contain the dictators of the future," Demchenkov stressed.
The next aspect of protection of energy facilities should be sanctions, which will also be triggered automatically in the event of an attack on a civilian power system. "Such a package of tough sanctions should be predetermined, it should be in the public domain so that every potential aggressor understands the scale of the consequences that he will face," the deputy minister said.
According to him, sanctions should also apply to energy entities who help aggression, and should be equated with terrorists. For the energy companies of the aggressor state, it is also necessary to define a wide list of sanctions: from the seizure of property and personnel abroad to forced bankruptcy.
Demchenkov also recalled that due to the constant massive Russian attacks on the energy system, Ukraine needs to strengthen its air defense and more equipment and materials to repair the energy infrastructure in these difficult conditions.
