“We’re playing with fire,” Russia regrets UN’s lack of blame for Kiev

Russia expressed displeasure on Tuesday that a UN nuclear watchdog report warning of dangers at Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear reactor did not fault Kiev for bombarding the Moscow-occupied complex.

“We regret that the source of the bombardment is not directly identified in your report,” Russian Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya told a Security Council session virtually attended by International Atomic Energy Agency Director Rafael Grossi (IAEA).

“We appreciate your position as an international regulator, but in the current situation, it’s crucial to call things by their proper names,”

he stated.

In a study released earlier on Tuesday, the IAEA urged for the establishment of a demilitarized zone around Europe’s largest nuclear plant, which was seized by Russian forces during their invasion of Ukraine.

Both sides have blamed the other for Tuesday’s renewed bombardment despite the watchdog’s recommendations.

“There is no assurance that there will not be significant consequences if the provocations by the Kyiv government continue, and full responsibility for this belongs with Kyiv, its Western sponsors, and all other Security Council members,”

Nebenzya said.

Western governments expressed dismay at his words, stating that Russia’s invasion and control of the plant was the central issue.

Russia has no right to subject the world to unwarranted risk and the potential of a nuclear disaster, notwithstanding its antics to avoid taking responsibility for its conduct today.

Senior American ambassador Jeffrey DeLaurentis addressed the meeting.

Grossi, commenting after a visit to Zaporizhzhia, stated that nuclear inspectors were more accustomed to traveling in the aftermath of disasters like Chernobyl and Fukushima.

Grossi stated, “In this instance, there was a historical and ethical responsibility to prevent something from happening.”

We are playing with fire, and something incredibly tragic may occur.

© Agence France-Presse