Ukraine's Foreign Minister, Andrii Sybiha, citing intelligence sources, warned that Russia is planning strikes on Ukrainian nuclear facilities ahead of the coming winter.
He called on the United Nations and Ukraine's allies to establish permanent monitoring missions at these power plants “to avert potential disaster.”
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According to Ukrainian intelligence, critical infrastructure, including open switchgear and transmission substations at all nuclear plants, would be at risk.
These facilities are essential for the safe operation of nuclear power stations, and any damage could trigger a release of radioactive material in a nuclear incident with potentially global consequences. Ukrainian special services say they have already shared this information with Western partners and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Andrii Yermak, the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, also warned of potential attacks on nuclear sites, saying there is a need for a “rapid global response.”
“This is preparation for a possible nuclear disaster. Russia, as a terrorist state, must be stopped immediately. The West and the Global South must take a firm stand against this terror – it affects us all," Yermak said via Telegram.
The Ukrainian state energy company Energoatom reported on Sept. 13, that over 70 Russian drones and more than 30 cruise missiles had flown near Ukrainian nuclear facilities when in 30 days.
Harshest Winter Yet: Will Ukraine Withstand New Russian Attacks on Its Energy Sector?
“No other nation has ever posed such an unprecedented threat to the nuclear safety of Europe,” the company posted on Facebook.
Russia has not commented on these accusations. Prior to the full-scale invasion in 2022, Ukraine operated four nuclear power plants, including the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant (NPP) facility, which fell under Russian control on March 4, 2022.
Since then, repeated drone and artillery strikes have been recorded at the site, leading to power outages. The plant ceased electricity production in September 2022, operating only its reactor cooling systems.
The IAEA, during its 68th session, reaffirmed that all Ukrainian nuclear facilities, including Zaporizhzhia, should remain under Ukrainian sovereignty.
Recent attacks suggest Russia is deliberately targeting energy infrastructure including that linked to nuclear plants.
On Aug. 26, Russian missile strikes hit substations near nuclear facilities, causing several reactors to shut down and threatening the stability of Ukraine’s unified energy system.
This follows a dangerous precedent set in Nov. 2022, when all of Ukraine's nuclear plants automatically shut down following a massive Russian missile attack – an unprecedented event that led to a nationwide blackout.
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