During the last weeks, I have observed the status of nuclear safety in Ukraine with regard to the Russian Federation’s continued attacks against Ukraine with great concern. I specifically reviewed the nuclear safety implications of the attacks against nuclear installations in Ukraine, which I strongly condemn. 

In line with the principles of the United Nations Charter, the Statute of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and international law, ETSON strongly emphasizes that nuclear facilities devoted to the peaceful use of atoms must not be subjected to any sorts of armed conflicts and that their safety and security as well as those of respective staff must be guaranteed at any time.

In my role as ETSON president, I support the IAEA Board of Governor’s Resolution GOV/2022/17 of 03/03/2022, for Russia to cease all military operations in the vicinity of nuclear facilities, and against nuclear sites in Ukraine. 

In this context, I would like to underline that the safety of the staff both for the operators and the regulatory body including its technical safety organization (TSO) SSTC NRS is indispensable to give them the possibility to conduct their normal duties to ensure the safety and security of all nuclear facilities in Ukraine.

In my role of ETSON president, I fully support the initiative of IAEA Director General Grossi announced on Friday 4 March 2022 for an agreement between Ukraine and Russia to ensure the safety and security of nuclear facilities in Ukraine. ETSON is committed to provide necessary assistance to the Ukrainian TSO. 

I call on the Russian Federation and its organisations to fully cooperate with the IAEA and to abide with Director General Grossi´s call to respect the seven pillars for nuclear safety and security in line with his recent initiative.

I will propose to the ETSON General Assembly that ETSON further provides expertise to the IAEA in order to fully support the above-mentioned initiative.

I wish to express my sincere gratitude to SSTC NRS and its staff for their unwavering support to the Ukrainian regulator SNRIU by continuing to fulfill their duties, to the best of their ability, to inform us by providing timely reports on the state of nuclear safety and of the radiological situation in the country under these extremely difficult conditions.

Myself and my colleagues send our thoughts and sympathy to colleagues at SSTC NRS and their families in this deplorable and serious situation.

Uwe Stoll
ETSON President