World Vision Australia chief Daniel Wordsworth on Ukraine border responds after fire at nuclear power plant

Friday, March 4, 2022

“This is a nightmare scenario and is what everyone feared would happen. We are horrified and devastated to hear about the fire to Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and our teams are preparing for a massive escalation of refugees, with hundreds of thousands more already fleeing their homes than anticipated. This could turn what was a flow of refugees into an exodus. Over the past few days we’ve seen a massive spike in the numbers flooding across the borders. The numbers of people coming into Romania alone went from around 16,000 on Monday, to almost 26,000 on Tuesday. We fear that this event will only cause these numbers to skyrocket. Of particular concern is that many of these could come into and via Moldova which is simply not equipped to handle a refugee response. We are ready to respond to what could be a significantly increased crisis and have already been supporting refugees. And we are urgently working to get medical equipment and food into Ukraine. It was anticipated that there would be 1 million refugees by the end of the week but we have already reached that. Wait times at European borders have already blown out to 20 hours and there 100s of 1000s more arriving than we thought. Our concern will be safely getting women and children across the border as soon as we can. This is only going to inflame the fear and uncertainty for children and their families. We’ve already deployed 45 Ukrainian-speaking psychologists in Romania to support children. Even if this fire is put out, there remains the spectre of what might happen next. And if the plant explodes it will be 10 times larger than Chernobyl. World Vision is urgently working to get medical equipment and food into Ukraine. Establishing a secure humanitarian corridor is more important than ever. We need assurances from both sides that we can get supplies in and save lives.”

BACKGROUND: Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is on fire, near the city of Melitopol which has come under heavy shelling in recent days. Articles 56 and 53 of Protocol 1 of the 1949 Geneva Convention outlaw attacks on dams, dikes, nuclear electrical-generating stations, and places of worship. The first three are "works and installations containing dangerous forces" and may be attacked only in ways that do not threaten to release the dangerous forces (i.e., it is permissible to attempt to capture them but not to try to destroy them). Vladimir Putin revoked ratification of the protocol in 2019. For interviews, please contact: Romania: Mike Bruce, +40 747 874766 Australia: Elissa Doherty, 040 999 44 33 or elissa.doherty@worldvision.com.au.

Media Releases, Emergencies, Middle East, Eastern Europe & Central Asia

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