amb. nusseibeh: good morning. the 8986th meeting of the security council is called to order. a provisional agenda for this meeting is from the permanent representative of ukraine's address to the security counsel. the agenda is adopted. in accordance with rule 37 of the council provisional rules of procedure, i invite the

representative of ukraine to participate in this meeting. it is so decided. in accordance with rule 39 of the council provisional rules of procedure, i invite the following to participate in this meeting, rosemary dicarlo, the under secretary general for political and peace billing affairs, and rafael mariano grossi, the general of the international atomic energy agency, who is participating as you will see from the screen on an airplane, and we hope the connection will hold. it is so decided. the council will now begin its consideration of item two of the agenda. i now give the floor to ms. rosemary dicarlo. ms. dicarlo: madame president, the secretary-general is gravely concerned by the escalated fighting throughout ukraine. ukrainian cities are today under siege.

over one million ukrainians have already crossed ukraine's borders and have been welcomed by european neighbors. we applaud the solidarity and support. millions of ukrainians who remain in the country are being subjected to heavy, often indiscriminate bombardment and shelling. there are thousands of casualties and the number is growing. the secretary-general s

followed with great alarm reports of heavy fighting at the nuclear power plant in ukraine. we understand the fire affected the training facility and not the power facility or cooling structure. it is not only unacceptable, but highly irresponsible. ukraine knows only too well the devastation of a major nuclear accident. the chernobyl disaster in 1986 is the lasting example of why it is vital to ensure all nuclear power plants have the highest standards of safety and security. every effort should be taken to avoid a catastrophic nuclear incident. the persistence and bravery of the ukrainian personnel who continue to keep powerplant plant safely operational deming this crisis are to be applauded. meadow president, attacks on nuclear power facilities are contrary to international humanitarian law.

specifically article 56 of additional protocol one to the geneva convention, and i quote, works or installations containing dangerous forces will be dams, decks, and nuclear jet of any stations shall not remain object of attack. even where these objects are military objectives. such an attack and cause the release of dangerous forces in severe losses among the civilian population. end quote. the secretary-general welcomes the statements and actions by the international atomic energy agency on the issue and is ready to assist if he can. it is vital that all parties work with the iaea to establish a framework that will secure the safe and reliable operation of the nuclear power plants. urgent and safe passage should be granted to iaea personnel, should they need to travel to ukraine to work with regulators.

madam president, we welcome the reported agreement between ukrainian and russian negotiators during their second round of talks in belarus yesterday. we understand the discussion focused on the establishment of humanitarian corridors to allow safe passage for civilians and the delivery of humanitarian assistance. we hope this reported agreement is implemented without delay and that a full and unconditional cease-fire is quickly to be enacted. we urge both sides to continue negotiations and make progress on security, humanitarian, and other issues. madam president, as the secretary-general has a methodically stated, the territorial integrity and sovereignty of ukraine within its internationally recognized borders must be respected and line of general assembly resolutions. what we are witnessing in ukraine today is inconsistent with the principles of the u.n.

charter. only diplomacy can achieve a truly lasting solution to the current conflict. this fighting in ukraine must stop, and it must stop now. thank you, madam president. amb. nusseibeh: i think miss dicarlo for her briefing, and now i give the floor to rafael. we are hoping the connection will be working from the airplane. we cannot hear you.

we have lost him for the moment. we will start with list of speakers and come back to him when connection is reestablished. i would like to therefore invite the councilmembers who wish to make statements, and i give the floor to the representative of the united kingdom. you have the floor. amb. woodward: thank you, madam president. i would like to thank undersecretary general dicarlo for her briefing and we look forward to hearing the briefing. the united kingdom and our partners called this urgent meeting because russian forces last night attacked the largest nuclear power station in europe. we are grateful to the ukrainian firefighters and authorities who got the fire under control and are working bravely to ensure that the plant remains safe. we support the work of the iaea

in ukraine and are relieved that so far, they have reported that none of the safety systems in the plant were affected and that there was no release of radioactive material. colleagues, this is the first time that a state has attacked a few old and functioning nuclear power plant. international law requires special protection for nuclear facilities. and it is difficult to see how russia's actions were compatible with its commitments under article 56 of the additional protocol of the geneva conventions. it must not happen again. even in the midst of an illegal invasion of ukraine, russia must keep fighting away from and

protect the safety and security of nuclear sites. colleagues, president putin said yesterday that the special military operation, or as everyone else calls it the war, was going to plan. everyone around this table knows that is not true. president putin misjudged the strength, resilience, and will of the ukrainian people to his invasion. he underestimated the world's condemnation of his actions. 141 votes in the general assembly and the unprecedented sanctions on russia demonstrate the strength of the global response. every day this war continues, the destruction it brings to ukraine, the suffering it

inflicts on ukrainian and russian people, and the risks it poses to international peace and security increase. this must stop. we call on russia to end this violence, withdraw its troops, and enter into serious peace negotiations. i thank you, madam president. amb. nusseibeh: i thank the representative from the united kingdom for their statement. i will now try to give the floor to mr. rafael mariano grossi for his briefing to the council. mr. grossi: thank you, madam president. i hope you can hear me now. amb. nusseibeh: yes. mr. grossi: can you hear me? amb. nusseibeh: yes. we can hear you.

mr. grossi: very good. so i would like to proceed with my briefing on the current situation in the ukraine, and especially after the events last night. we have been in contact with the nuclear regulation agency of the ukraine from the very beginning of the conflict, and we have been receiving updates and information from them without interruption. in general, the situation could be described as follows. the nuclear installations and the nuclear facilities in ukraine are quite important. four big sites. 15 reactors and associated

facilities. plus, the site of chernobyl. regarding chernobyl last week, we were involved and it was so confirmed afterwards that the russian special military forces took charge of the site. at the same time, the operators of the plant, of the chernobyl plant, continued to grant day by day operations over there. a few days ago, we were informed again by the russian government that military forces were moving in the area of a nuclear power plant with the similar mission, to take over control of this facility.

we got information since that there advance towards the perimeter of the nuclear power plant was met with opposition and a group of civilians obstructing the access to the plant. finally, this happened. and last night, in the early hours of the morning, we got information that a projectile had impact with a building adjacent to the block of reactors, six of them. the projectile impacted this

building and a fire ensued, which was after some time put out by the fire brigade at the station. it was confirmed through our contacts at the regulator but also directly from the plant. we were able to confirm that no security or safety systems had been compromised. none of the reactors themselves have been hit by the projectile. only, as i say and repeat, this building which caught fire, and perhaps you saw evidence of that in the social media. after this, the operation at the plant have continued.

we consider from a technical point of view that operations continue normally, although as i have stressed to the governors of the iaea that there is no normalcy about the situation , when there are military forces of course in charge of the site. in terms of the next steps, we continue our permanent contact with the ukrainian authorities, governmental nuclear regulatory, and also the company which operates the facilities, and also operators there. this constitutes the basis of the regular updates.

more than 10 or 12 at this point, which you have been seeing on the website of the iaea. at the same time, today, i indicated in the morning my readiness to travel as soon as practicable to chernobyl to consult with our ukrainian counterparts that also if necessary and when necessary to the forces in charge in order to establish a stable framework for the observance of the basic principles of safety and security starting with the physical integrity of the facilities, can be observed. basic elements of this initiative proposal have already been shared with the ukrainian counterparts and the russian authorities, which are at this point evaluating that.

we believe that having received direct requests for assistance, it is our duty at the iaea to hit this goal and try to provide assistance. needless to say, in particular, madam president, to your body and the distinguished representatives over there that mission of the iaea if and when this it takes place, would not, of course, have anything to do with the political and diplomatic aspects that are in the purview of the security council. this mission would be strictly restricted and circumscribed to the safety and security of the nuclear installations in ukraine, which are evidently and as facts have shown, under constant danger of damage.

and accidents. so, madam president, i hope these basic elements will help you in the evaluation of the situation. we request, members of the council, as i have done in vienna at my board of governors, to support our efforts as director-general, and those of the iaea in order to ensure a basic element in this very difficult situation, which is the safety and security of this important infrastructure of the country. i thank you very much madam , president. i will be ready in case there are questions or particular points that might not be clear, to clarify them. i thank you very much, and i excuse myself for the poor quality of my connection. as you know, i am airborne now

on my way to tehran to deal with another issue which is of direct interest to the council, which is hopefully the solution of the outstanding aspect of the nuclear power program in the islamic republic of iran. thank you very much. amb. nusseibeh: i thank mr. grossi for his briefing, and we will now continue with a list of speakers and come back to the list of speakers. i now give the floor to the representative of albania. you have the floor. amb. hoxha: thank you, madam president. i would like to think miss dicarlo and we are happy we could listen to mr. grossi. i'm david like to reassure him of our support -- and i would like to reassure him of our support on the matter. dear colleagues, 10 days into the so-called special military

operation, which is in reality the operation of how to invade your neighbor, we are in the midst of a large-scale human tragedy running towards a global catastrophe for ukraine first but for russia as well. and as we see every day, with serious implications for wider europe. thousands have been killed with at least 2000 civilians. according to u.n. reports, some 12 million people are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. one million have already fled the country, the fastest and largest mass exit of people in decades. all developments of this geopolitical crisis are created by russia's unprovoked and unjustified aggression against ukraine. unmistakably, it is headed towards further escalation. although the vote two days ago

told russia it couldn't take the world hostage, unfortunately asking russia to stop the , invasion is not heard in moscow, and russia remains defiant, and is stubbornly descending. colleagues, the world was alarmed late last night of the zaporizhzhya nuclear power station fire. a huge blaze on the site of european's biggest nuclear station was thankfully quickly extinguished. yet we remain concerned. it is alarming that russian forces have captured the nuclear power plant. russia's grip on the plant that provides more than 1/5 of ukraine's electric city is a serious cause of concern and can have huge repercussions on civilians and ukraine's economy. i think the plant or another disturbance could cause a nuclear disaster, radioactive damage, and have irreparable

consequences for europe's environment. it is difficult not to have in mind the dreadful images of chernobyl. we welcome the quick reactions from the iaea. i am reassured that we heard from the director-general grossi . they should be given urgent and unhindered access to verify and monitor the conditions, and ensure safeguards are all in place as a situation remains very challenging. russian occupiers must immediately allow unfettered access for emergency services to the plant and whatever is needed. we urge the iaea to continue working closer with ukraine and provide assistance to ukraine as it seeks to maintain nuclear safety and security in the current difficult circumstances. it is important that the nuclear power plant be continued to be operated by its regular staff.

the situation remains difficult. we call on russia to end its aggression, withdraw its troops out of the ukraine, to hold use of force near eddie nuclear power plant and any civilian infrastructure in general, and to respect article 56 of the geneva conventions. attacking civilians and civilian infrastructure constitutes a crime and perpetrators must and will be held accountable. we welcome the establishment of the u.n. human rights council of an international commission of inquiry to investigate war crimes committed in the aggression against ukraine. evidence must be gathered, documented, and presented to the court. we support the icc prosecutor to investigate and document crimes committed for the purpose of accountability. dear colleagues, the you and was not created to make humankind to -- to take humankind to heaven but to save humanity from hell

, as doug hammerskill famously said. it falls upon this council to do what it can and what is needed to save ukraine, its people and entire up from the hell where russia is heading to with its relentless aggression. thank you. amb. nusseibeh: i think the representative of albania for their statement and i give the floor to the representative from the united states. ambassador greenfield: thank you, madam president. by the grace of god, the world narrowly averted a nuclear catastrophe last night. we all waited to exhale, as we watched the horrific situation unfold in real time. i applaud the ability of the ukrainian operators to keep all six reactors in safe conditions while under attack, and to report as they were able to, to their nuclear regulator. moreover, we appreciate the

state nuclear regulatory inspectorate of ukraine for their continuous updates to the iaea, and to the international community. we are gravely concerned that ukrainian operators are now doing their jobs under extreme duress. russia's attack last night put europe's largest nuclear power at grave risk. it was incredibly reckless, and dangerous. and it endangered the safety of civilians across russia, ukraine, and europe. as a first step, we ask russia

to withdraw its troops from the plant to submit medical treatment for injured personnel. to ensure operators have full access to the site and are able to communicate with nuclear regulators, and to the operators to conduct shift changes to ensure the continued safe operation of the plant. and nuclear firefighters and engineers must have full access to the nuclear facility to assess damage, particularly to water intake piping and mitigate a further deterioration of the situation if needed. nuclear facilities cannot become part of this conflict. reliable electricity is vital for the nuclear facility, as are backup generators and fuel. safe transit corridors must be maintained. russia must halt any further use of force that might put at risk all 15 operable reactors across ukraine.

or interfering with the security of its 37 nuclear facilities and their surrounding populations. the united states remains highly that russian military forces controlling the chernobyl site, have not permitted operators there to have a shift change their since last week. this is highly irresponsible behavior and causes grave concerns for continued safe operation of both sites. we call on all countries to support iaea's director general, grossi in his efforts to find methods going forward to prevent a nuclear catastrophe in ukraine. over the past nine days, we have witnessed the devastating impact of president putin's war of

choice on the ukrainian people. yesterday, the u.n. reported that russia's invasion had turned half a million children into refugees. russia has killed thousands of ukrainians and sacrificed thousands more russian soldiers lives in the process. russia is destroying critical infrastructure, which is denying people drinking water to stay alive, and gas to keep people from freezing to death in the middle of winter. the humanitarian impact of this destruction will be significant. 140 one nations across the world have called loudly and clearly on president putin to stop this brutal, unjustified, unprovoked attack. not only has he not listened, we have just witnessed a dangerous new escalation that represents a

dire threat to all of europe and the world. to my russian counterparts, this council needs answers. we need to hear you say "this won't happen again," as our u.k. colleague just stated. we call on you to withdraw your troops and weaponry from ukraine . we call on you to respect ukraine's borders, its people, and u.n. charter. we call on you to respect your own troops enough not to send them into an unjust war, or on a suicide mission against a nuclear power plant. we call on russia to abide by its international law obligations. the world demands that russia abide by international

humanitarian law, which prohibits intentionally targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure, and allow humanitarian agencies full and secure access to people in need of aid. the united states and our partners have called for a briefing this monday on the humanitarian situation in ukraine. we support the urgent work by humanitarian organizations on a humanitarian pause to allow for safe passage, and the delivery of humanitarian supplies. president putin must stop this humanitarian catastrophe by ending this war and ceasing these unconscionable attacks against the people of ukraine. mr. putin must stop this madness and she must stop it now.

cooler heads must prevail. russian forces are now 20 miles and closing, from ukraine's largest nuclear facility. so this imminent danger continues. we narrowly avoided a disaster last night. the international community must be unanimous in demanding russia's forces stop their swift assault. and as i have said before, the people of ukraine are counting on us, and we must not let them down. thank you. amb. nusseibeh: i think the -- i thank the representative of the united states for their statement. i now give the floor to the representative of france. >> [speaking in french] translation bama

translator: modem president france is seriously concerned , about the risks for the safety, security and nuclear safeguards as a result of the russian invasion. this is why we have asked the security council to meet urgently. the team running the facility was requisitioned by the russian military. strong detonations were recorded near a center for rate storage in kyiv. this morning, a flyer was -- a fire was seen after the russian attack. and indicated by the minister of europe and foreign affairs, france strongly condemns this attack on the integrity of a nuclear structure, which we need to guarantee its security.

the results of the aggression of russia against ukraine are possibly devastating for human health and the environment. in 2000 nine, russia approved, with the rest of the general conference of the iaea, a decision according to which any armed attack on and threat against nuclear facilities devoted to peaceful purposes constitutes a violation of the principle united nations charter, international law, and the statutes of the body. russia in this circumstance, also needs to adhere to the resolutions of the agency. as a general conference, russia should immediately cease its illegal activities which are dangerous and return control to ukrainian authorities to all nuclear facilities within the internationally recognized orders of ukraine.

russia should also authorize regular and unfettered access to the facility for the team running the facility so that they can do their jobs safely. we call for the full respect of the convention on nuclear safety and other relevant conventions. france supports the efforts of the general director of the iaea for ongoing monitoring of the safety and security of nuclear facilities in ukraine, who is in close contact with ukrainian authorities. we would ask the director-general of the agency to use all instruments available to the agency to support ukraine's efforts in order, to ensure the safety and security of all facilities around the country. in this regard, france fully supports the proposal of the director-general of the iaea for negotiations about commitments between the parties to the conflict in ukraine, in order to ensure respect of the seven principles, set forth during the

board of governors meeting of march 22, with regard to the implications of the situation in ukraine and the areas of safety, security, and nuclear safeguards. france finally reiterates its unwavering support for the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of ukraine within its internationally-recognized borders. since the 24th of february, we have seen the devastating human cost of russian aggression. immediate cessation of hostilities and strict application of international humanitarian law is urgent. and this is why with mexico, france is putting forth a resolution with this goal in mind, in order to put an end to the humanitarian drama which is unfolding before our eyes. and this security council should fully assume its responsibility in this regard. thank you.

>> i thank the representative from france for their statement, and i now give the floor to the representative of ireland. >> thank you very much, madam president. i would like to thank undersecretary general dicarlo and director-general grossi for their briefings, and director-general grossi's call for urgent action today. they were here today because of our concern about the ongoing situation at the zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant. the russian federation's continuing unprovoked, unjustified invasion of ukraine is wreaking havoc and destruction on ukraine and on its people. this aggression is inflicting enormous hardship and suffering. ireland stands in unwavering solidarity with the people of ukraine, who continue to show extraordinary courage and resilience in the face of this act of aggression. the parties to the conflict must comply with international humanitarian law.

this includes the obligation not to attack civilian objects. it includes the obligation and clear prohibition against indiscriminate and disproportionate attacks. it includes the obligation to take all feasible precautions in an attack. we demand nothing less than full respect for those obligations . the attack last night by russian forces on the nuclear power plant at zaporizhzhya has shocked us all. it has sent a chilling signal across europe. indeed, across the globe. this further reinforces the concerns arising from the armed takeover by russia of the nuclear facilities in the chernobyl exclusion zone just eight days ago. ireland condemns the reckless firing against nuclear power plants. armed attacks and threats against nuclear facilities devoted to peaceful purposes

, constitute violations of international law including the principles of the un charter . additional protocol 1 to the geneva conventions, and the iaea statute, and director-general grossi has made that point abundantly clear. in attacking those sites, the russian federation risks an environmental disaster, compounding the extraordinary human tragedy we are witnessing today in ukraine. a radioactive release from any of these sites would also have serious repercussions for human life and health and for agriculture, and for the environment in ukraine, in the russian federation itself, and the wider european region. president, we call on the russian federation to fully respect its obligations under the u.n. charter, international law, and the iaea statute.

all international nuclear safety and security standards must be maintained. we call on the russian federation to allow ukrainian personnel at the plant to do their work safely and without undue pressure. it is crucial that safety systems at the plant are not compromised power supplied to , the plant must be maintained . this is essential not just for the six reactors at the site, but also for the spent fuel storage there. there should be no interruption of basic services including energy to the population across ukraine. ireland commends the bravery and the professionalism of the ukrainian personnel at the plant , and the ukrainian nuclear regulator in seeking to ensure safety at the plant in very difficult circumstances. we are deeply concerned, however, for their safety and their well-being.

at this worrying time ireland , fully supports the work of the iaea and its incident and emergency center in its ongoing monitoring and assistance in respect of the nuclear safety and security situation in ukraine. we believe it will be important for the iaea director-general to keep this council informed regarding nuclear safety and security in ukraine. president, cavalier reckless , behavior with dangerous forces such as nuclear power is unacceptable. it is utterly unacceptable. the prospect of a nuclear event at europe's largest nuclear power plant will have global impacts. we also what happened at chernobyl and fukushima. this is a specter no one at this table should be willing to continents.

madam president, the humanitarian implications of damage to civilian infrastructure cannot be underestimated. the electricity generated by zaporizhzhya powerplant powers homes and hospitals, ensuring that civilians can feed and keep themselves, powering life-saving medical equipment. let's be clear civilian , infrastructure should never be a target, and it must stop now. mr. president, once more ireland , urges the russian federation to immediately cease all hostilities, to unconditionally withdraw from the entire territory of ukraine, and to refrain from further threats or the use of force of any kind against ukraine, or indeed any other member state. to avert nuclear disaster, ireland today calls most urgently for immediate cessation of military activities at

ukraine's nuclear facilities. we call for competent ukrainian authorities to be allowed to promptly regain full control over zaporizhzhya and all their nuclear facilities. one more time, mr. president -- madam president, recall sincerely for a return to dialogue and diplomacy in good faith. >> i think the representative of ireland for their statement, and i now give the floor to the representative of norway . >> madam president, i thank the under secretary general de carlo and director-general grossi for their briefing to the council , and i also think the iaea for providing frequent factual updates on matters within the agency's mandate. we call this meeting with partners, because, president,

this is an unjust war, unjustly fought. norway condemns the russian federation's invasion of ukraine , and now, as reported, we see shelling and fighting in the immediate vicinity of a civilian nuclear power plant. it takes little imagination to understand the possible consequences of such action. it shows a blatant disregard for ukrainian lives, for russian lives, and indeed life in europe and beyond. it is irresponsible and unacceptable. civilians can never be a target . a nuclear power plant can never be a target. yet this is only the latest in a string of assaults on homes, hospitals, schools, bridges, roads, and other vital civilian

infrastructure. damage and destruction of a nuclear plant would put us all in danger. it can lead to a radioactive nightmare with the most severe long-term effects for generations. president, international humanitarian law is not optional . we call on russia to fulfill its obligation to protect civilians , and civilian infrastructure. these actions also violate the obligations to maintain the physical integrity of nuclear facilities and keep them safe at all times. and we recall the decision of the aea general conference from 2009 that, and i quote, "any armed attack on the threat against nuclear facilities devoted to peaceful purposes constitutes a violation of the principles of the united nations charter international law and the statute of the agency."

we commend the efforts of the state nuclear regulatory inspectorate of ukraine to keep the international community updated on the status of nuclear safety and security in their country, and our thoughts go to the staff, the men and women working at nuclear facilities in ukraine under these dire circumstances. we laud their commitments to ensuring continuing nuclear safety and security. their perseverance is an example to us all. president russia bears full , responsibility for this act of aggression and all the destruction and loss of life it has and will continue to cause . we reiterate our call upon the russian federation to immediately withdraw its forces from ukrainian territory and c

ease all threats and military actions including in the vicinity of and directed at nuclear facilities. a ceasefire is desperately and urgently needed. diplomacy must win. thank you. >> i think the representative of norway for their statement i give the floor to the representative of the russian federation. >> madam president, today's meeting is another attempt by the kyiv authorities to a kindle artificial hysteria about what is taking place in ukraine. and they are being assisted in this by their western backers.

i apologize, madam president. today's meeting -- the speaker is not working. the microphone doesn't work, mr. speaker. madam president, madam president, today's meeting is another attempt by kyiv authorities to condone artificial hysteria about what is taking place in ukraine. and they are being assisted by their western backers.

today, we have once again heard lies about how russian troops attacked the zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant. this is all part of an unprecedented campaign of lies and disinformation against russia. you are trying to present the situation in such a way as though the zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant was allegedly shelled by the russian military, as a result of which a fire broke out. these statements are completely untrue. the city of seized the nuclear power plant and adjacent territories, were taken by the russian army under its control back on february 28. as a result of negotiations with the management of the powerplant and agreement -- powerplant, an agreement was reached to place it under the guard of the russian military. its goal is to prevent other

terrorist forces from taking advantage of the current situation to organize a nuclear provocation. the goal is also to ensure the security of the station and prevent interruptions in power supply to the population of ukraine and you prepare and -- european consumers. at present, the zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant and adjacent territories being guarded by russian troops. in order to do this, personnel has been brought in with relevant experience, including experienced in operating that engineering and technical facilities that the nuclear power plant is equipped with. a similar situation -- the situation is currently similar in the area of the turnover

powerplant. -- that chernobyl powerplant. our servicemen are not interfering in the work of the operators of the ukrainian power plant. and our servicemen are not interfering in the work of the operators of the ukrainian powerplant, they are ensuring their security. as we were informed by the russian ministry of defense, on the night of march 4, while patrolling the protected area, but not the area of the zaporizhzhya powerplant itself, rather the adjacent territory, a russian mobile patrol was attacked by a ukrainian sabotage group in order to provoke returned fire on the building.

there was heavy small fire that was opened on russian troops from the windows of several floors of a training complex that is located just outside of the territory of the nuclear power plants russian patrol returned fire on the ukrainian saboteurs and suppressed their fire. as they were leaving, the ukrainian sabotage group set fire to the training facility. let me emphasize once again, this building is not located on the territory of the zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant. the fire brigades that arrived were able to distinguish the fire on the premises. at the time of this provocation, none of the employees of the zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant were present in the building. at present, the personnel of the zaporizhzhya nuclear power

plant, who were not injured as we were assured by the permanent representative of the u.n., continues to work normally and is maintaining facilities and monitoring the radiation situation. the background radiation levels in the area of the nuclear power plant are normal. all the nuclear power plant facilities are under the control of the russian military. their security has been fully insured, and the station continues to function normally, in accordance with technological requirements. the power units of the zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant were not damaged. there condition is as follows -- the first has been disconnected for repair. the second and third have been temporarily disconnected by the decision of the station's management. the fourth is operating at 690

megawatts. and the fifth and sixth are being cooled. according to the assessment of our leadership which was set out in the press statement dated march 4, the operation of the nuclear power plant continues normally. nothing threatens the safety of the six power units, the system -- radiation monitoring systems at the station are fully operational, and there is no threat of the release of radioactive material. i would like to remind you that in 2014, ukrainian nationalists already tried to destabilize the situation of the zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant and in the city of --. western states ignored this egregious case back then and it could have potentially lead to disaster. at the time, we drew attention to the serious incident. now, when the russian military is doing everything to ensure the safety and security of

ukrainian nuclear facilities, a massive propaganda campaign is unfolding based on these absurd allegations that russia is allegedly trying to create a source of radioactive contamination. i urge you to think, what would be the point of us doing this? we are the best positioned to be aware of and on top of the situation, we are the most interested in maintaining nuclear and general security in ukraine, physical and nuclear security to be properly maintained at insured in ukraine. we are ukraine's neighbors. together with the people of belarus and ukraine, we lived through chernobyl, so we are more interested than most in maintaining a normal radiation situation throughout the

territory of ukraine. i would like to emphasize once again that, the danger to the civilian population of ukraine is not emanating from russian troops, it is coming from ukrainian nationalists who are holding the civilian populations of a number of large cities hostage, and carrying out acts of sabotage and provocations, one of which we are now discussing. after that, they attempt to blame russia for all of it. yesterday's incident at the zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant is a clear illustration of this, and your reaction to this incident and your attempts to blow it into a global scandal, nadir western colleagues, leave no doubt that the radicals and extremists in ukraine were and are under your close guardianship and protection. they have a carte blanche from you. for the sake of your ukrainian project, you are ready to forget

about the future and well-being of ordinary ukrainians, just like for eight years you tried to ignore the systematic shedding of civilians of donbass by the armed forces of ukraine. we urge you to calm down your mentees who, in the worst traditions of iso terrorists and their associates, are hiding behind civilians, placing heavy weaponry and rocket launchers in residential areas. in mariupol, civilians were forcefully transported to a local school which has been mined. these terrorists are using civilians as human shields and bracketing the donetsk republic with their readiness to blow up a school full of hostages. these terrorists are preventing those civilians wishing to leave the city from doing so. this practice is affecting not

only civilians, but also foreign citizens. the number of foreign nationals being held by ukrainian nationalists is shocking. in kharkiv, this includes 389 citizens of india, 2700 citizens of vietnam, 202 citizens of china this includes 576 indian citizens, 101 canadian citizens, and 121 -- 101 ghanaian citizens, and 121 chinese citizens. nine citizens of indonesia are being held. was fired on a group of chinese citizens who are trying to deliberately leave into the russian territory, and two of them were injured. the russian military is doing everything to ensure the peaceful evacuation of russian nationals. as of 6:00 a.m. today, 130 comfortable buses were standing ready in order to leave

for her keys and other cities to rescue civilians. checkpoints have been equipped with temporary accommodations, mobile medical stations have been deployed with stocks of medications. evacuees will be transported to belgrade, and subsequently brought home by air. i would like to draw your attention to another egregious episode regarding which we'd like to hear clarification from the secretary rapporteur. a message was published about the requisitioning of cars of you and mission personnel. if the secretary is not aware of this, we are ready to provide the relevant materials. that message states, quote, "sorry, but the goal justifies the means. we have requisitioned you and vehicles as we need them -- we

have requisitioned united nations vehicles, and we need them now. according to nationalists, there is full understanding on the part of the u.n. that there were no official statements or protests from the u.n.." we are extremely concerned that the you and mission vehicles could end up in the hands or could have already ended up in the hands of terrorists, and be used for terrorist purposes. if the secretary is aware of the situation, as the nationalists claim, that we would like an explanation as to why the u.n. did not inform the member states of this. thank you. >> i think the representative of the russian federation of their statement, and i now give the floor to the representative of india. >> thank you, madam president. i thank director-general decarlo and d.g grossi for their

briefings. it is regrettable that the situation in ukraine has worsened further since the council last convened on this matter. an immediate secession of violence and end to all hostilities are essential we . we continue to carefully follow the developments regarding the safety and security of ukraine's nuclear power reactors and facilities. india attaches the highest importance to ensuring safety and security of nuclear facilities as any accident involving the nuclear facilities may have severe consequences for public health. and the environment. india accords the highest priority to the discharged by the iaea of its safeguards and monitoring activities in accordance with its statute in an effective non-discriminatory and efficient manner.

we have also noted the latest information available with regard to the nuclear power plants and facilities in ukraine , including today's updates provided by the director general of the iaea on the current situation. madam president, while we are discussing the nuclear dimension of an unfolding conflict, this council must acknowledge that there is a pressing humanitarian crisis confronting us in in ukraine, where safety and security of innocent civilians , including several thousand indian nationals, in particular students, are at stake. we, therefore hope that the , second round of talks between the two sides contributes to the immediate establishment of a safe, humanitarian corridor. as reiterated by my prime minister in his conversations with global leaders, including of the russian federation, and ukraine differences must be , resolved through sustained dialogue and diplomacy. commitment to the principles of the u.n. charter to international law, and respect

for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states are key principles in this regard. i thank you. >> i thank the representative of india for their statement, and i now give the floor to the representative of mexico. you have the floor. >> [speaking in spanish] translator: thank you, madam president. we would like to thank director-general carlo and director-general grossi for their briefings. like other delegations, we would like to express my country's concern for the incident which occurred in the nuclear plant of the area. the zaporizhzhya. while the information presented to us would indicate that the nuclear reactors were not impacted and that radiation levels have not increased, this does not in any way diminish the gravity of the incident, nor the

possible consequences which would stem from greater impact. firing missiles on or in the immediate environment around a nuclear energy plant is a violation of the fundamental principle which relates to the physical integrity of nuclear facilities, which should be maintained at all times, and under any circumstances. in 2009, the iaea general conference unanimously approved the decision to adopt the rules established in 1990, which says -- which established explicitly, and i quote, "any armed attack on an threat against nuclear facilities devoted to peaceful purposes constitutes a violation of the principles of the united

nations charter and international law." it is also necessary to mention the concern about that short novel -- the chernobyl nuclear power plant. in the incidence -- any incident at this plant or any other nuclear plant could have repercussions on humanity. just a week into the conflict, there are already more than one million refugees, and the additional consequences of an accident which would release radioactive material would be so serious, that it is actually now imperative to take all measures that are preventative, within our reach, in order to prevent that from happening. madam president, there is no justification for military activities at these sites.

these are nuclear facilities which are clearly identifiable, and attacking them is expressly and exclusively prohibited by humanitarian law. the physical security and safety of nuclear facilities should be always safeguarded in all circumstances, as well as all elements that guarantee the security of these facilities, which was occasionally referred to by the director-general of the iaea. we support his initiative in order to ensure that the parties fully comply with their commitments undertaken in the area of security for these facilities. the zaporizhzhya incident should be added to a growing list of direct attacks or collateral attacks against civilian infrastructure. international law, humanitarian -- international humanitarian

law and the conventions of nuclear safety should be respected without exception. we call for the military action of the russian federation on ukrainian territory to adhere closely to the principles of international law and the principles of proportionality of actions, which impact civilian infrastructure, specifically nuclear facilities and radioactive material and equipment. mexico reiterates and would join the call of the secretary-general for immediate cease-fire, which would allow for urgent humanitarian action to have access, and that is precisely the objective pursued by france and mexico in our draft resolution that we have submitted for consideration by the members of this council. thank you very much, madam president. >> i think the representative of

mexico for their statement, and give the floor to the representative of ghana. >> thank you, madam president. i wish to thank you for convening this emergency session of the security council at this critical moment in a situation of ukraine, and also thank usg de carlo and director-general grossi for the information provided. ghana is gravely concerned about the intensifying military escalations across several cities in ukraine, in particular with the attack and shelling of sites close to nuclear power plants and facilities. it is a relief to learn that the situation at the zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant is currently stable and the radioactive emissions remain within accepted range. every effort must be made to mitigate the risk of accidental emissions which pose immeasurable risk to the lives of civilians and an already-fragile environment. we urge the continued support of

the iaea to provide necessary assistance to the ukrainian authorities to ensure the safety and security of nuclear installations and staff present on-site. we cannot forget too soon the horrors of the 1986 chernobyl accident and the consequent nuclear catastrophe which left in its wake long-term effects of radiation exposure to many people in ukraine and parts of europe. even to date. ghana strongly appeals to the parties to exercise restraints and to halt the use of force in all areas of critical infrastructure, including the nuclear power plants, and to respect their international obligations to protect human lives and to prevent potential disasters. we take note of the ongoing diplomatic talks between the parties in belarus, and welcome the agreements reached to create a humanitarian corridor to allow for the evacuation of the millions of people caught up in

the crossfire, as well as the considerations to provide food and medical supplies. together with the international community, we express our strong support for the peaceful resolution of this conflict and urge further constructive engagement by the parties at all levels in the pursuit of their security interests and the maintenance of international peace and security. i thank you. >> i thank the representative of ghana for their statement, and i now give the floor to the representative of china. >> thank you, madam president. madam president, i listened attentively to their briefings by u.s. dg carlo and director-general grossi. china follows closely the latest developments in ukraine and expresses our concern about the zaporizhzhya nuclear power

plant. we note that according to the information iaea got from ukrainian authorities, the main equipment and nuclear power plant remain intact, and the level of radiation unchanged. we also note the information and clarification provided by russia on other matters. china attaches great importance to nuclear safety and security. and hopes the relevant parties concerned can act with great caution and with specialized technical assistance from the iaea secretariate to ensure the safety of nuclear facilities inside ukraine. madam president, the ukrainian crisis is still undergoing complex changes. the most important thing right now is to ease tension, avoid more civilian casualties,

intensify diplomatic efforts and get back as soon as possible to the track of political settlement. russia and ukraine have held two rounds of direct dialogue and negotiations, and have agreed to the preliminary sentences of a humanitarian corridor. china hopes this can facilitate better protection of civilians, and help with the safe evacuation of all foreign nationals, including chinese nationals. we urge russia and ukraine to remain committed to seeking a political settlement, and reach a negotiated solution that accommodates the legitimate concerns of the two parties and contributes to europe's lasting peace and security. china welcomes all diplomatic efforts conducive to political settlement, and has played and

will continue a constructive road to this end. the international community should stay coolheaded and rational and adopt an impartial and objective approach to create the conditions for direct talks between the parties concerned. any action must contribute to de-escalation and diplomatic settlement, rather than adding fuel to the fire, leading to further escalations and duration of the situation. thank you, madam president. >> i think the representative of china for their statement, and i now give the floor to the representative of brazil. >> thank you, madam president. madam president, i would like to thank you for convening this meeting, and u.s.

director-general decarlo and director-general grossi for their statements. we commend and support the international atomic energy agency for remaining in constant contact with authorities in ukraine, and for fully discharging technical responsibilities and functions as per the agency's statute and related instruments. -- i am almost embarrassed to reiterate that we are facing unprecedented dire circumstances. we are not only witnessing an appalling humanitarian catastrophe in ukraine, but now we are also confronted with the prospect of a nuclear incident

of significant dimensions do to the situation in the nuclear facility in zaporizhzhya. this is one more reason for the international community to strenuously call for an immediate and comprehensive cessation of all hostilities in ukraine. we are under we are under threat of a radioactive incident of major proportions, which could have enormous consequences not only for ukraine, but for all of europe. the complete de-escalation of military actions is past due. the provisions of international law must be respected in its entirety. the safety of the people is at stake and also presented to nuclear threat. article 56, the first additional

protocol to the geneva conventions, according to which nuclear electrical generating stations shall not be made the object of attack, even when these are military objectives. if such an attack will cause causes the release of dangerous forces among the civilian population. allow me to add that the electrical also applies to, i quote, "other military objectives located at or in the facility of those works or installations." the iaea general conference has adopted a number of decisions on the protections of nuclear installations devoted to peaceful purposes against our attacks. these decisions must be respected at all times.

brazil calls on all parties to refrain from any measure or action that could jeopardize the security of nuclear materials, as well as the safe operation of nuclear facilities in your rain, as such an incident could have severe and enduring consequences for human health and the environment. madam president, wildly expressed grave concern on the recent developments -- while we express grave concern on the recent developments, we should not turn a blind eye to congress's response to the current situation. a number of meetings have been held in the chamber on the situation in ukraine. it seems that no matter how any public meetings we convene, the end of hostilities remain

elusive. brazil urges all members here to truly and actively engage to promote dialogue and rebuild trust. the general assembly resolution recently adopted urged russia and ukraine to seek a peaceful resolution of the conflict through practical dialogue, negotiations, mediation, and other peaceful means. this is not the time to further escalate the rhetoric, but to engage in conversations towards peace. there is an array of instruments available to the council and the parties under chapter six of the u.n. charter. the security council has, we have, the responsibility to create an environment conducive to a cease-fire and to lasting peace.

at this moment, we reiterate our appeal for a cease-fire and our want for diplomacy. i thank you, madam president. amb. nusseibeh: i thank the representative of brazil for their statement, and i now give the floor to the representative of kenya. >> thank you, madam president. i thank the general and the director for their briefings. kenya was concerned about the reports made yesterday of a fire in the vicinity of the nuclear power plant in ukraine. it is with relief that we learned from the international atomic energy agency that the reactivity systems have not been effective and that radioactive material has not been released. there are a few dangerous installations containing

dangerous forces in nuclear plants, in relation to the environmental consequences of destruction. on this relation, good fortune intervened to safeguard the reactor. but extensive ground, sea, and air military operations means that the risk remains unacceptably high. madam president, rarely are international conventions regulating the conduct more urgent. we go back to the geneva conventions of august 1949, relating to the protection of victims of international conflicts.

protocol two, particularly part four. article 15 states, and i quote, "installations containing dangerous forces, mainly dams, dikes, and nuclear stations shall not be the subject of attack, even if the attack has a military objective. if such an attack may cause the release of dangerous forces and the consequence of losses amongst the civilian population. kenya also records the resolution adopted last april in protection of objects indispensable to survival of civilian populations. i like a significant effect, the destruction of essential infrastructure in any conflict

-- unlike the significant effect the destruction of essential infrastructure in any conflict across the globe continues to have on civilians. we urge due caution to be taken in any action that may destroy civilian objects that are critical to the survival of the ukrainians. harm to them could lead to an escalation of an armed conflict and make it all more difficult to resolve it. madam president, kenya calls for military leadership of ukraine and the russian federation to establish mechanisms to reduce the targeting and risk to critical infrastructure. such a mechanism can mirror the agreement made today by both sides to establish a humanitarian corridor as well as temporary local cease-fire to enable aid delivery.

we encourage the continuation of this positive dialogue and call on the russian federation to urgently enter negotiations to settle this conflict by peaceful means. finally, madam president, we -- the resolution adopted yesterday by the iaea board of governance, with the director general with his regular updates, and the continuing effort to ensure safety and security in all civilities in the country. i thank you. amb. nusseibeh: i thank the representative of kenya. i shall now make a statement in my capacity as a representative of the united arab emirates. i thank the undersecretary general and director general for their briefings. my country is also following the situation at the zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant with deep concern. the reports we have seen suggest a dangerous development in the conflict.

the humanitarian and environmental catastrophe resulting from a serious nuclear incident would be hard to contain and recovery would be difficult. we remember fukushima and chernobyl, and the human costs are inculpable on human health -- incalculable on human health and the environment. we must all prevent such accidents from happening again. the party must ensure the safety of the plant as well as its reactors. they must also ensure the surrounding areas remain protected from conflict as damage to the plant could lead to dire consequences for the entire region. for this reason, we urge all relevant parties to cooperate with the iaea to protect nuclear facilities and to establish a stable framework on the ground. there are clear reasons for having special protections in place for facilities such as nuclear power plants. we stress again that any direct attack on a nuclear facility has

the potential to lead to catastrophic and unimaginable consequences. nuclear safety is a critical issue for my country. our participation on the board of governors is a recognition of that concern, and we will continue to make every possible effort to promote and maintain nuclear safety and support the director general of the proposal for negotiations between the parties around this matter. and the implementation of agreed protocol. we also welcome the second round of bilateral talks between ukraine and russia yesterday. the security council is responsible for maintaining international peace and security, and as we know, nuclear threats are among the most devastating to humanity. the council must avoid nuclear disaster, whether from direct attack on a nuclear facility or an unintended consequence of conflict. such a disaster would have grave ramifications. with regards to the conflict today, we reiterate our call for

a cessation of hostilities, for de-escalation and for dialogue mechanisms to be leveraged and supported by all of us. the risk of a failure in diplomacy are too grave to consider. i shall now resume my function as president of the council and i now give the floor to miss rosemary dicarlo to respond to comments and questions. ms. decarlo: thank you, madam president. i want to respond to the representative from russia who referred to human vehicles being repossessed. there's no u.n. staff presently there. 13 vehicles were left there. at 10:45 this morning, the u.n. department of safety and

security confirmed all 13 vehicles remained there. thank you. amb. nusseibeh: i thank her for their clarification she has provided, and i now give the floor to the representative of ukraine. >> madam president, undersecretary general and director general, first of all i would like to express my gratitude for immediate reaction by the undersecretary general for -- to the lies by the russian representative. we are all accustomed to the lies. we have survived the night that could have stopped the history of ukraine and europe, said the president of ukraine this morning. indeed, every day provides us

with new evidence that it is not only ukraine under russian attack, it's europe. it's the entire world. it is humanity. and finally, it is the future of the next generation. russia seems to be furious that its plans to quickly invade ukraine have already failed. russia is furious that the ukrainian people continue to courageously fight for its freedom. russia is furious about the worldwide solidarity with ukraine. in retaliation, russia has resorted to war crimes and crimes against humanity. russia does not even try to hide them.

residential areas of ukrainian cities and villages across the country are being ruined by russian bombs, shells and missiles. peaceful civilians are being killed, critical infrastructure totally damaged. just yesterday, a russian airstrike killed 47 peaceful residents of the city of chernihiv, including children. but that is not enough for russia. because yesterday they committed an act of nuclear terrorism while seizing the zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. the lies by the representative of russia are not surprising.

he may not be properly informed by his capital. and we saw on many occasions in the security council, he had no idea what the president was planning to do in the middle of one of the recent sessions. so i would not really rely on his words. as a result of the shelling on the territory of the nuclear power plant, a fire broke out, killing and injuring several people. the zaporizhzhia site, as well as the chernobyl nuclear power plant, are under the control of the russian armed forces, currently. employees of the separation nuclear power plant -- the zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant are monitoring the condition of the power units and ensuring their operation in

accordance with the requirements of the technical regulations for safe operations. it's alarming that several employees, responsible for maintaining nuclear security at the site, have reportedly been killed by russian soldiers. there has been no rotation of personnel since yesterday morning. the building of unit 1, the main building, is damaged. the older parts of the special building is damaged. the telephone line connection is disrupted and not available at the moment. the state of the power units is as follows -- unit 1 has an outage. its main building is damaged. the overpass of the special building is damaged. units two and three have been disconnected from the grid. and the cooldown of the nuclear installations is being carried out. unit four is an operation of 690 megawatts power. units five and six are being -- cooled down.

state nuclear representatives of the state inspector for nuclear regulation of ukraine are not allowed access to the zaporizhzhia site. changes in the radiation situation have not been registered. data from the automated radiation monitoring system of zaporizhzhia does not work. cooling of the nuclear fuel in the power units is maintained by dedicated systems of power units in accordance with the requirements of technical regulations for state operation. -- safe operation. if at any point the process is disturbed, this could cause radioactive damage across large territories and have irreparable consequences for the environment of the entire continent.

thousands of people, including civilians, who are currently unable to evacuate the area near the plant due to ongoing shelling and fighting, would be affected. in an appalling example of gas lighting, and example of what he probably intended to present is almost an angelic message of peace. but let me remind him, and remind all of us, that satan was also an angel, an angel that rebelled against god. so i would like to ask the representative of the russian federation if he still is able to communicate with his capital, which is probably not the case,

who knows. please make an appeal to the armed forces to ensure a safe corridor, to allow the foreign students to leave the areas of concern. stop spreading the lies. and you know it well, what is going on, if you are indeed in contact with your capital. as a result of a nuclear disaster of this scale, if it happens, it may exceed all previous accidents at other nuclear power plants, including chernobyl and the fukushima nuclear power plant disasters. russia has deliberately undertaken an armed attack on a

nuclear power site, an action that violated all international agreements within the iaea, the charter and joint convention and the safety of fuel management, and the safety of waste management. the convention on nuclear accident warning and convention on the protection of nuclear accidents, and the convention on the protection of nuclear facilities and material. the shelling of zaporizhzhia is also a gross violation on the treaty of the nonproliferation of nuclear weapons and the international convention for the suppression of acts of nuclear terrorism. repeat we are disappointed by -- we are disappointed by the reaction of the iaea, whose statement did not go as far as to include any mention of the attacking site. we demand clear and decisive action from the iaea.

the international community must respond adequately to the actions of the russian federation, which could lead to an unprecedented nuclear catastrophe. all russian forces must be withdrawn from the nuclear power plant. today, i have sent a letter to the security council president, reminding of the decisions of the no-fly zone during previous conflicts in order to prevent further civilian casualties, protect the civilian population from air attacks, including those who are humanitarian personnel, ensuring humanitarian assistance.

we request to consider the issue of protection of nuclear power plants and other critical infrastructure in ukraine. urgent discussions on establishing a ban on all flights in the airspace of ukraine should be a top priority for the security council. we would also like to remind that ukraine, on march 30, 2015, requested the deployment of an international peacekeeping and security operation in the territory of ukraine. the document f/2015/225, with the exact modalities to be defined in consultation with the ukrainian site. taken into account that russia's part of the peacekeeping contingent because it is exactly the occupation armed forces that should be separated to maintain a cease-fire and peace. failure of the security council

to act, and especially due to the position of the russian federation as a party to the conflict, would be a historical responsibility of the security council and the entire organization. distinguished members of the security council, i ought to ask the undersecretary general to forward our request to the secretary-general to ensure that every single body of of the united nations, every employee of the secretariat, respect the decision of the general assembly of march 2 and does not deviate or substitute with ambiguities or things like special military forces, the language of the resolution. it is called aggression against ukraine.

a week of a full-fledged russian invasion has already resulted in thousands killed, over a million refugees, ruined infrastructure. it is already the common duty of the international community to stop russian terrorists, stop by closing the skies over ukraine. stop by supporting ukraine in terms of security and humanitarian assistance. stop by expelling russians from international institutions as they do not deserve to be among civilized nations. einstein said the world will not be destroyed by those who do evil. we ukrainians will deal with

evil. but by those who watch them without doing anything. the people of ukraine do more than they can do, including by paying the ultimate price, paying with their lives. and still, shamefully, there is a handful of those around us or among us, rather, who do nothing. act now or it might be too late. not only for ukraine, but for all of you. i thank you. amb. nusseibeh: i thank the representative of ukraine for their statements. there are no more names on the list of speakers. the meeting is adjourned. [gavel pounds] [background chatter]

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