Biden, Zelensky Discussed Concerns Over Nuclear Plant, As U.S. Calls Accountability for Russian War Crimes

U.S. President Joe Biden and Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky spoke on Thursday about Russia's relinquishing control of the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, among other issues, TURAN's Washington correspondent reports citing the White House.

The phone call took place a day after the White House announced the $2.98 billion assistance package for Ukraine, dovetailing with the country’s Independence Day.

Both leaders concurred on the need to return the control of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant to Ukraine, and for the occupying Russian forces to allow access by the International Atomic Energy Agency.

The White House call came as the U.S. Government-supported Conflict Observatory program released a report on Thursday that includes evidence of Russia-perpetrated filtration operations in, and forced deportations from, Ukraine.

"The unlawful transfer and deportation of protected persons is a grave breach of the Fourth Geneva Convention on the protection of civilians and constitutes a war crime. We again call on Russia to immediately halt its filtration operations and forced deportations and to provide outside independent observers access to identified facilities and forced deportation relocation areas within Russia-controlled areas of Ukraine and inside Russia itself," the State Department said in a statement.

This latest report, prepared by the Yale Humanitarian Research Lab, is available in its entirety at the program’s website . The report documents 21 sites in the Donetsk oblast alone associated with filtration operations. This adds to the growing body of credible reporting and evidence on filtration operations that should deeply concern us all. It is consistent with other public reporting from a variety of sources.

Other Conflict Observatory reports detail instances of damage to healthcare and educational facilities in Ukraine’s Russian-held Luhansk oblast resulting from Russia’s war. A recent report from Observatory partner Smithsonian Cultural Rescue Initiative identifies over 450 potential impacts to cultural heritage sites across Ukraine from February to June 2022, including archaeological sites, museums, and places of worship. Taken together, these and other reliable reporting chronicle several aspects of the carnage unleashed by President Putin’s brutal invasion of Ukraine.

"President Putin and his government will not be able to engage in these persistent abuses with impunity. Accountability is imperative, and the United States and our partners will not be silent," the Department said. "The people of Ukraine deserve justice, and the United States will continue to stand united with them for as long as it takes."

Alex Raufoglu

Washington D.C.