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Ukrainian nuclear materials may fall into terrorist hands — Russian diplomat

Moscow is making utmost efforts to prevent such developments, Russian Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office and Other International Organizations in Geneva Andrey Belousov told
Building of the Russian Permanent Mission to the UN in Geneva Michael Derrer Fuchs/Shuttestock/Fotodom
Building of the Russian Permanent Mission to the UN in Geneva
© Michael Derrer Fuchs/Shuttestock/Fotodom

UKRAINE, August 6. /TASS/. The risk is high that Ukrainian nuclear materials will fall into the hands of terrorists but Moscow is making utmost efforts to prevent such developments, Russian Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office and Other International Organizations in Geneva Andrey Belousov told reporters.

"Given the situation around the Zaporozhye NPP, there is an increasing risk of a nuclear disaster or an emergency situation, which would lead to negative consequences," he pointed out. "The August 5 artillery shelling of the NPP is another proof of it," he added.

"As a responsible state realizing how difficult it is to ensure the security of nuclear facilities, Russia is making utmost efforts to make sure that the NPP is safe," the diplomat noted. "We will employ all possible means to prevent security violations and maintain security at the highest level based on the IAEA’s requirements," he added.

"As for the risk of nuclear materials from Ukraine falling into the hands of terrorists, it cannot be ruled out that if an emergency situation or a disaster takes place, Ukraine’s nuclear facilities will go out of control," Belousov stressed. "We are doing our best to prevent such a scenario," he said.