Ukraine worried about wartime threat to nuclear facilities

A possible war with Russia in Ukraine represents a threat to nuclear facilities in the country and to Europe as a whole, said Volodymyr Horbach, analyst at the Institute for European-Atlantic Cooperation, in an appearance on Espreso TV on March 24. "We're still a nuclear power in the sense that we have nuclear power plants and nuclear reactors," he said. "Therefore, if there is war, it would represent a threat to nuclear facilities and to Europe as well. Ukraine has already appealed to the West to help protect those sites. So far, there has been no official response. However, Ukrainian diplomats must absolutely keep bringing up this topic," Horbach concluded. As reported earlier, Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs had send letters to Western governments about possible threats to nuclear facilities in Ukraine and their protection. Acting Foreign Minister of Ukraine Andriy Deshchytsia confirmed that such requests had been made at a briefing in Kyiv on March 3. "When it comes to protecting nuclear facilities in Ukraine, we sent letters on this issue to the US, NATO and the EU that such a threat is possible. I think that our partners will examine carefully what can be done. I think no one wants to allow a catastrophe like Chornobyl to happen again," he said. Sources: http://espreso.tv/new/2014/03/24/treba_vymahaty_vid_yevropy_dopomohy_v_zakhysti_yadernykh_obyektiv___ekspert http://www.ukrinform.ua/ukr/news/ukraiina_napravila_listi_ssha_nato_i_e_s_pro_moglivu_zagrozu_svoiim_yadernim_obe_ktam_1914208