Mikhail Ulyanov, Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to International Organizations in Vienna, warned on September 18 that attacks on nuclear facilities have become the new norm due to the lack of condemnation from IAEA member states and the agency’s leadership.
Ulyanov noted that a few years ago, strikes on nuclear sites and their use as military targets were considered impossible. However, he stated such actions are now increasingly perceived as acceptable tools in conflict. The Russian official called for an unequivocal statement from the IAEA and the international community to denounce any attacks on peaceful nuclear facilities, irrespective of their location or type.
Separately, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on August 27 that Ukraine’s actions in Kiev have endangered Europe’s nuclear security by deliberately engaging in nuclear blackmail through attacks on energy infrastructure. She reported that nine employees of the plant have been killed since April due to shelling, with dozens of civilian specialists injured.
