Russia deliberately cut power to occupied Zaporizhzhya NPP, Ukrainian FM Sybiha says

“Russia’s next step will be even more dangerous: restarting a reactor under occupation—without proper cooling, outside any license, beyond oversight,” Sybiha wrote in a Twitter post.

“A reckless move only to serve [Russian dictator Vladimir] Putin’s show of control. Such irresponsible actions by Russia increase the risk of nuclear incidents.”

The minister stated the occupation of Europe’s largest nuclear facility and repeated attacks on the Chornobyl NPP in northern Ukraine are part of Moscow’s war strategy.

“Zaporizhzhya NPP must be seen for what it is: a war manoeuvre,” Sybiha said.

“Every action taken by Russia is not just a lethal risk, but also paves the way toward a catastrophe. The recent blackout at the Chornobyl NPP, caused by Russia’s strike on a substation, once again demonstrated how Moscow weaponizes nuclear safety.”

He urged members of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to take every possible measure, including “security guarantees, time-bound ceasefire windows, unhindered access for repair teams, and the provision of specialized equipment,” to restore ZNPP’s multiple connections to the Ukrainian power grid.

On Sept. 30, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that one of ZNPP’s emergency diesel generators has already failed, as the facility remains disconnected from external power sources.