In a significant move, Bharat abstained from voting on a UN General Assembly resolution demanding immediate cessation of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and the prompt withdrawal of its military forces from the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.
The resolution, titled ‘Safety and security of nuclear facilities of Ukraine, including the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant’, was adopted with 99 votes in favour, nine against, and 60 abstentions.
Alongside Bharat, countries abstaining included Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Egypt, Nepal, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and Sri Lanka. Those opposing the resolution included Belarus, Cuba, North Korea, Russia, and Syria.
The resolution urgently called for Russia to cease its aggression against Ukraine, withdraw military personnel from the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, and return it to Ukraine’s control for safety and security. It highlighted concerns over potential nuclear risks due to attacks on Ukraine’s critical energy infrastructure.
Introduced by Ukraine and supported by over 50 Member States including France, Germany, and the United States, the resolution also called on Moscow to ensure full access to the International Atomic Energy Agency Support and Assistance Mission at the Zaporizhzhia plant.
Russia’s First Deputy Permanent Representative Dmitry Polyanskiy criticised the resolution, calling it politicised and non-consensual. He warned that supporting the resolution could escalate the Ukrainian conflict instead of promoting peaceful solutions.
