What’s new: China expressed grave concerns over the destruction of the Nova Kakhovka dam in Ukraine and called for “maximum restraint” to prevent further escalation of confrontation and nuclear disasters, according to China’s United Nations ambassador.
“We are deeply concerned about the resulting humanitarian, economic, and ecological consequences,” China’s Permanent Representative to the U.N. Zhang Jun said at an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council on Tuesday, urging all parties to abide by international humanitarian law and “do their utmost” to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure.
China urges parties involved to exercise restraint and resume peace talks as soon as possible, Zhang said, adding that “no party, especially countries with important influence, should fuel the fire and escalate tensions.”
Beijing also called for efforts to ensure the security of the nearby Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which relies on the Kakhovka reservoir for cooling water, urging all parties to avoid “words and deeds” that could lead to miscalculation.
China supports the efforts by the U.N. and humanitarian agencies to help with the evacuation of the affected population, Zhang added.
The background: The Nova Kakhovka dam, a major dam and hydroelectric plant in a Russia-controlled area in southern Ukraine, collapsed Tuesday, leading to extensive flooding.
At least 16,000 people have been displaced from their homes, with many requiring evacuation and facing potential hurdles in accessing clean drinking water, according to a statement from the U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres.
The U.N. said it does not possess independent information on the circumstances that led to the destruction. Ukrainian and Russian officials blamed each other for the incident during the emergency meeting.
Contact reporter Kelly Wang (jingzhewang@caixin.com) and editor Leila Hashemi (leilahashemi@caixin.com)
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