UN General Assembly calls on Russia to return Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant to Ukraine

The United National General Assembly approved a resolution July 11 calling on Russia to withdraw its forces from the occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear plan in Ukraine and return full control of the plant to the Ukrainian authorities.

The resolution was approved by a vote of 99-9, with Russia and several of its allies voting against it, the UN said in a statement. There were 60 abstentions — including China, Mexico and South Africa — from the vote.

The resolution also called on Russia, while it continues to occupy the station, to provide timely and full access to the safety-relevant areas of the plant to the on-site International Atomic Energy Agency mission.

Ukraine's representative to the General Assembly said during the meeting that Russia is violating key principles of safety. The Russian representative said during the debate that the resolution was "detached from reality" and accused Ukraine of carrying out regular attacks on the plant site and related infrastructure.

The resolution expressed concern about the deterioration of safety at the Zaporizhzhia plant, a 6-GW station in which all six units have been shut for months as fighting raged near the site.

There have been "gaps in routine maintenance activities," disruptions of supplies to the site, and anti-personnel mines have been placed around the perimeter of the plant, according to the resolution.