By KYIV. Dec 28 (Interfax-Ukraine) – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine expresses a strong protest in connection with the illegal entry of official of the Russian presidential administration Sergey Kiriyenko into the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine in Zaporizhia region, and his stay at the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant (NPP).
"Such illegal actions by officials of the aggressor state are yet another gross violation of international law and the legislation of Ukraine. This step by the Kremlin also demonstrates its complete disregard for the demands of the three resolutions of the IAEA Board of Governors, that call upon the Russian Federation to immediately withdraw its military and other personnel from the Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant, in order for the competent Ukrainian authorities to regain full control of the plant to ensure its safe and secure operation," according to a statement on the ministry’s website.
"We count on the effective and efficient efforts of the IAEA Member States, as well as IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi, in countering Russia’s crimes against Ukraine’s nuclear facilities and cynical disregard for current nuclear safety and security standards," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
"We call on the partner states and EU institutions to speed up the introduction of effective measures to respond to the ongoing criminal actions of the Russian Federation in relation to nuclear facilities in Ukraine, including the expansion of sanctions against the Russian state corporation Rosatom, its affiliated companies and institutions, as well as other key factors of nuclear energy of Russia," the statement notes.
"We put particular emphasize on the urgency of working out the mechanisms for the complete termination of cooperation with the Russian Federation in the field of nuclear technologies, as well as the suspension of the rights and privileges of the Russian Federation within the IAEA," the ministry said.
"We expect a consistent and uncompromising position of all members of the international community in ensuring binding political, economic and legal consequences for the terrorist state for all its crimes and illegal actions. We emphasize the importance of bringing all criminals to justice and the irreversibility of punishment," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
