MINSK, 3 October (BelTA) – Nuclear blackmail has become an important part of Ukrainian foreign policy, Sergei Klishevich, a member of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of Belarus, said as he commented on fake news about Belarus’ plans to seize the Chernobyl NPP, BelTA has learned.
“Since the winter of 2023, all peace initiatives on Ukraine, including China's plan, have involved nuclear safety issues. Approximately since that moment nuclear blackmail has become an important part of Ukrainian foreign policy,” Sergei Klishevich said. “Ukraine refuses to take responsibility for nuclear facilities in the conflict zone, first of all, the Zaporozhye NPP which Ukraine shells relentlessly. The Kursk NPP was also the target of Ukraine's Armed Forces in Kursk Oblast. Kiev is interested in various ways to escalate the situation with the Chernobyl NPP.”
The MP recalled that since 2000, the Chernobyl NPP has been out of operation and served as a site for spent nuclear fuel. “At the first stage of the special military operation, the Ukrainian side deliberately shelled the substation and power lines of the Chernobyl NPP, causing a cooling systems accident. Belarus urgently provided the power supply on the instructions of our president. In other words, Belarus, unlike Ukraine, has been doing everything to avoid a nuclear accident which would affect both Belarus and Ukraine,” he emphasized. In April 2022, during the Istanbul talks, Ukraine got the plant back under its control. However, this has made the situation at the Chernobyl NPP even less stable. The Ukrainian authorities see the Chernobyl NPP as a shield for the capital city. Although the plant is not important militarily, it is located on the shortest route from the Belarusian border to Kiev."
"Thus, we can assume that numerous recent fake stories about Belarus hatching plans to launch a military aggression and seize the Chernobyl NPP have been made up in order to keep a significant group of troops in the north of Ukraine and to pose a military threat to Gomel. By demonizing Belarus, they are laying the foundation to justify the exclusion of our country from a possible negotiation process," Sergei Klishevich added. "The recent visit of Rafael Grossi showed that the IAEA has confidence in the country’s leadership and its nuclear safety policy. It is also a signal to Kiev that their fake information policy towards Belarus has failed with the influential international organization. It means that any Ukrainian provocations in this area will be appropriately assessed on an international level."
“Since the winter of 2023, all peace initiatives on Ukraine, including China's plan, have involved nuclear safety issues. Approximately since that moment nuclear blackmail has become an important part of Ukrainian foreign policy,” Sergei Klishevich said. “Ukraine refuses to take responsibility for nuclear facilities in the conflict zone, first of all, the Zaporozhye NPP which Ukraine shells relentlessly. The Kursk NPP was also the target of Ukraine's Armed Forces in Kursk Oblast. Kiev is interested in various ways to escalate the situation with the Chernobyl NPP.”
The MP recalled that since 2000, the Chernobyl NPP has been out of operation and served as a site for spent nuclear fuel. “At the first stage of the special military operation, the Ukrainian side deliberately shelled the substation and power lines of the Chernobyl NPP, causing a cooling systems accident. Belarus urgently provided the power supply on the instructions of our president. In other words, Belarus, unlike Ukraine, has been doing everything to avoid a nuclear accident which would affect both Belarus and Ukraine,” he emphasized. In April 2022, during the Istanbul talks, Ukraine got the plant back under its control. However, this has made the situation at the Chernobyl NPP even less stable. The Ukrainian authorities see the Chernobyl NPP as a shield for the capital city. Although the plant is not important militarily, it is located on the shortest route from the Belarusian border to Kiev."
"Thus, we can assume that numerous recent fake stories about Belarus hatching plans to launch a military aggression and seize the Chernobyl NPP have been made up in order to keep a significant group of troops in the north of Ukraine and to pose a military threat to Gomel. By demonizing Belarus, they are laying the foundation to justify the exclusion of our country from a possible negotiation process," Sergei Klishevich added. "The recent visit of Rafael Grossi showed that the IAEA has confidence in the country’s leadership and its nuclear safety policy. It is also a signal to Kiev that their fake information policy towards Belarus has failed with the influential international organization. It means that any Ukrainian provocations in this area will be appropriately assessed on an international level."
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