{"id":56039,"date":"2023-05-04T09:57:20","date_gmt":"2023-05-04T07:57:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/libmod.de\/?p=56039"},"modified":"2023-08-18T10:07:00","modified_gmt":"2023-08-18T08:07:00","slug":"ukraine-und-die-eu-nukleare-sicherheit-in-zeiten-des-krieges-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/libmod.de\/en\/ukraine-und-die-eu-nukleare-sicherheit-in-zeiten-des-krieges-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Nuclear Safety in Times of War"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Photo: Oliver Geheeb<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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While the Western countries have intro\u00adduced unprece\u00addented sanctions against Russia\u2019s energy sector, its nuclear industry, repre\u00adsented by the state-owned nuclear energy monop\u00adolist Rosatom, remains an exception in the sanction policy of the EU and G7. Despite its role in seizing the occupied Zapor\u00adizhzhia nuclear power plant and virtually black\u00admailing Europe, Rosatom seems to be protected from the sanctions, as many countries are still dependent on the Russian nuclear industry.<\/h2>\n

On February 27th<\/sup> we discussed this issue with Anton Hofreiter, member of the German Bundestag, Victoria Voitsitska, former Secretary of the Verkhovna Rada Energy Committee (2014\u20132019) and expert at the Inter\u00adna\u00adtional Center for the Ukrainian Victory, and Rebecca Harms, former member of the European Parliament. Specif\u00adi\u00adcally, we talked about how the current situation at the occupied Zapor\u00adizhzhia NPP, how endan\u00adgered other nuclear power plants are, what sanctions should be intro\u00adduced against Rosatom, and what the obstacles for the nuclear sanctions against Russia are. One of the aims was to clarify how Ukraine can be protected against Russian nuclear terrorism and what could be realistic strategies to make Europe and G7 independent from the Russian nuclear industry to clear the path to the long-awaited sanctions against Rosatom.<\/em><\/p>\n

By seizing the Zapor\u00adizhzhia nuclear power plant and shelling Ukrainian energy infra\u00adstructure, Russia is black\u00admailing Europe<\/h3>\n

Until the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, attacks on and milita\u00adrization of nuclear instal\u00adla\u00adtions in war zones were not on the public agenda due to an inter\u00adna\u00adtional under\u00adstanding that nuclear power plants need special protection.<\/a>[i]<\/a>Only with the Russian occupation of Chornobyl and Zapor\u00adizhzhia nuclear power plants, those scenarios became a reality, and right now the risks are very signif\u00adicant. In case of a nuclear accident, it is not only the territory of Ukraine and Russia that would be polluted but, depending on the wind, Eastern and Central Europe and the Baltic states would risk contamination.<\/p>\n

While the biggest fear of the public is a direct hit of an NPP, a dysfunc\u00adtional energy system can also cause a nuclear disaster. Knowing that, Russia has been delib\u00ader\u00adately targeting Ukrainian energy infra\u00adstructure, especially the grids and substa\u00adtions, creating condi\u00adtions for a major possible disaster similar to the Three Mile Island accident in the U.S., when a cooling malfunction caused part of the core to melt. Thus, it is not only nuclear power plants themselves that must be protected to prevent nuclear incidents, but crucial energy infra\u00adstructure too.<\/p>\n

The situation at the seized Zapor\u00adizhzhia power plant is very critical. As Russia declared ownership over the largest nuclear power plant in Europe, Rosatom took control of Zapor\u00adizhzhia. Before the full-scale war 11 000 people used to work at the site, now only 3 500 workers remain, working under horrible condi\u00adtions. According to reports, Ukrainian staff is intim\u00adi\u00addated, family members are threatened, they cannot leave the city and are being inter\u00adro\u00adgated and forced to work 12 hours shifts. Despite the promises of the IAEA, the area of the Zapor\u00adizhzhia NPP was not only not demil\u00adi\u00adtarised but, according to Victoria Voitsitska, Russian military presence has even increased. Many of the members of the discussion agreed that the presence of the IEAE at the power plant increased the global perception that the situation is under control. However, as of now, Zapor\u00adizhzhia NPP does not produce electricity. The electricity needed for cooling during the shut-down mode comes from a Ukrainian substation, which is contin\u00adu\u00adously shelled by Russians.<\/p>\n

To protect people, critical infra\u00adstructure, and the ships involved in the Grain Initiative from Russian missiles, Ukraine urgently needs more air-defence systems and fighter jets. Anton Hofreiter states that scaling up the production of the IRIS\u2011T air-defence system in Germany is necessary. IRIS\u2011T is one of the world\u2019s most effective missiles and with a 100 % success rate, has proven its efficiency in Ukraine. However, Hofreiter empha\u00adsizes that as weapon manufac\u00adturers are very reluctant to invest more in production lines, state guarantees would be needed. It remains unclear whether Ukraine will provide these guarantees or whether the EU or Germany must step in. At the same time, Ukraine will need air-defence systems for the next decades to come.<\/p>\n

Imple\u00admenting sanctions against Rosatom and ending depen\u00addency on Russian nuclear industry requires unity among Western countries<\/h3>\n

Rosatom is a state-owned corpo\u00adration that comprises over 360 organ\u00adi\u00adsa\u00adtions, including research insti\u00adtutes, nuclear weapons division, and nuclear-powered icebreaker fleet. It is one of the biggest players in nuclear fuel (17% of the global market), uranium production (16% of the global market), and Rosatom ranks first on the global uranium enrichment market (38%).<\/a>[ii]<\/a> On top of that, Rosatom operates at 25 sites in 10 countries. Due to their signif\u00adicant role in inter\u00adna\u00adtional markets and service offers for the entire NPP life cycle, Russian nuclear industry products and cooper\u00adation with Rosatom take time to be replaced.<\/p>\n

Anton Hofreiter argues that Europe, together with the G7, should make itself independent of Russia in the nuclear sector. Accord\u00adingly, as long as states rely on cooper\u00adation with Rosatom, they are suscep\u00adtible to blackmail. Therefore, the next sanctions package must also include Rosatom.<\/p>\n

The first step might be personal sanctions against Rosatom managers who interfere in the operation of Ukrainian nuclear power plants and endanger Europe\u2019s nuclear safety. Additionally, all inter\u00adgov\u00adern\u00admental agree\u00adments and research projects with Rosatom should be termi\u00adnated. Business relations with Rosatom must be prohibited. Already now, the EU and G7 states should set up a task force with government and parlia\u00admentary repre\u00adsen\u00adta\u00adtives to prepare phasing out cooper\u00adation with Rosatom.<\/a>[iii]<\/a> Victoria Voitsitska suggests that phasing out EU depen\u00addence on Russian nuclear products and services must be included in the REPowerEU plan of the European Commission.<\/a>[iv]<\/a><\/p>\n

Getting rid of the depen\u00addency can be very difficult but not impos\u00adsible if there is political will. The discussion over nuclear power as a sustainable energy source is heated, with some arguing for its poten\u00adtials, others for its risks. However, it is clear that it is impos\u00adsible to exchange nuclear power from one day to another. Reorgan\u00adi\u00adsation of the energy mix requires a long adjustment period, which can be a chance to diversify suppliers and cut ties with Rosatom. Ukraine itself is a good example, as it does not import any fuel rods from Russia anymore and has switched its nuclear power units to nuclear fuel from the U.S. manufac\u00adturer Westing\u00adhouse. At the same time, Ukraine has resumed nuclear waste processing opera\u00adtions at the Chornobyl power plant since Russian occupying forces withdrew from the site.<\/p>\n

The Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Finland have also expressed a desire to make the transition from the Russian nuclear fuel supply. But Hungary and Bulgaria declared that they would veto any sanctions against Rosatom. France, which is not exploiting its own repro\u00adcessing capabil\u00adities, because Russia dominates the market with low prices, is also against nuclear sanctions. Anton Hofreiter describes the issue of depen\u00addency of France on Russian nuclear imports as crucial for EU unity, which is needed for the intro\u00adduction of sanctions against Rosatom. The major question is how to help France to get rid of its depen\u00addency. Thus, France should be supported in raising its own production of fuel rods to phase out imports from Russia.<\/p>\n

What are the next steps?<\/h3>\n

The United Kingdom and the United States have already imposed personal sanctions on key Rosatom officials, and the EU and other G7 countries should follow this example.<\/p>\n

An effective measure to stop Russia from expanding its influence and creating new depen\u00addencies, is to block any ongoing or future projects of Rosatom abroad by intro\u00adducing secondary sanctions on companies supplying its nuclear power plants with equipment and technologies. Germany demon\u00adstrated a good example when the German Federal Office for Economic Affairs and Export Control (BAFA) blocked the delivery of equipment from Siemens Energy for the construction of nuclear power plants in Turkey and Hungary built by Rosatom.<\/p>\n

As some EU member states are still dependent on Rosatom, the European Union needs to urgently search for alter\u00adnative solutions for facility mainte\u00adnance and replacement of Russian-made equipment. Another step should be the diver\u00adsi\u00adfi\u00adcation of conversion and enrichment services, as well as replacing the supplier of uranium raw materials and nuclear fuel along with spent fuel storage and repro\u00adcessing services.<\/a>[v]<\/a><\/p>\n

Any new contracts with Rosatom for nuclear fuel services and construction of nuclear power plants need to be frozen or termi\u00adnated, as it was done by Finland when it abandoned plans on building the Hanhikivi NPP with Rosatom.<\/p>\n

Imple\u00admenting these and further measures would demon\u00adstrate Russia that it cannot act with impunity in nuclear matters and would signif\u00adi\u00adcantly reduce risks of nuclear disasters in Ukraine. At the same time, these sanctions will help Europe to overcome its depen\u00addency on the Russian nuclear industry and reduce Russia\u2019s revenues. Although these revenues are less signif\u00adicant than those from oil exports, they are still important to further weaken Russia\u2019s potential to finance the war.<\/p>\n

<\/a>[i]<\/a> During armed conflict, nuclear power plants fall under special protection in Art. 56, 1st<\/sup> Additional Protocol, Geneva Convention. Accord\u00adingly, instal\u00adla\u00adtions and equipment which contains hazardous forces, needs protection.<\/p>\n

<\/a>[ii]<\/a> Rosatom report 2021<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/a>[iii]<\/a> Anton Hofreiter \u2014 Sanktioniert Rosatom!<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/a>[iv]<\/a> REPowerEU explained: https:\/\/www.consilium.europa.eu\/de\/infographics\/repowereu\/<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/a>[v]<\/a> Rosatom and Civilian Nuclear Power: Recom\u00admen\u00adda\u00adtions for Sanctions against the Russian Federation<\/a><\/p>\n

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