In a recent statement, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres condemned Russia’s recent drone and missile strikes against Ukraine, specifically targeting the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), deeming these actions a significant threat to nuclear safety. According to Jurist, Guterres expressed his alarm over the escalation of violence and the increasing civilian casualties. He emphasized that attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure are prohibited under international law and urgently called for an “immediate and unconditional ceasefire” in line with international norms.
Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), echoed Guterres’ concerns, stating that the situation at the ZNPP remains “extremely fragile.” This concern follows the ninth airstrike against the plant since the conflict commenced, leading to a recent temporary disconnection of the plant’s external power source—a critical factor for maintaining reactor core cooling. The IAEA had to rely on diesel generators for electricity during the outage, underlining the precarious nature of the current conditions on site.
The targeted attacks violate Article 56 of the Additional Protocol I of the 1949 Geneva Conventions. This legal framework prohibits targeting nuclear facilities unless such a plant provides direct support to military operations, and the attack is a necessary measure to stop such support. Additional resolutions by the IAEA General Conference and the UN General Assembly reaffirm the obligation to protect nuclear facilities from military attacks.
The ZNPP, Europe’s largest nuclear power station, located in an area militarily seized by Russia in 2022, has been under continuous threat. Although the plant’s six reactors have been on cold shutdown since 2024, it still depends on an external power line for operations necessary to cool reactor cores and avert any potential radioactive release. Guterres and Grossi’s joint statements highlight the urgent need for diplomatic solutions to prevent the risk of a nuclear disaster akin to the Fukushima disaster of 2011, noting the reactors’ inherent safety features might mitigate the catastrophic risks perceived in attacks on nuclear plants.