Power to the Zaporizhia Nuclear Plant was cut off

Ukrainian forces are increasing their attacks on energy infrastructure in Crimea. Russia illegally occupied the peninsula in 2014 and is using it as a base to launch attacks and supply troops to southern Ukraine.

An overnight strike has cut off power supply to the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant in Russian-occupied south-eastern Ukraine, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said on Thursday.

In a statement, the IAEA said no radioactive emissions were detected and radiation levels were normal.

The UN atomic energy agency said the nuclear plant – the largest in Europe – was “reliant on backup diesel generators to cool its six shuttered reactors and maintain other essential nuclear safety functions.”

“The latest loss of off-site power once again highlights the extreme fragility of electrical grids and the persistent threats to nuclear security during war,” said IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi.

It is not clear which country was responsible for the strike on Wednesday evening, which affected the electrical substation that supplies power to the plant.

It was the 19th time the plant had been cut since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. Russian forces captured the area around the plant shortly afterwards.

Both Russia and Ukraine have repeatedly accused each other of risking a nuclear disaster by carrying out attacks around the plant.

Thank you for joining us as we bring you the latest developments in Russia’s war against Ukraine.

The nuclear power plant in Zaporizhia, the largest of its kind in Europe, has again cut power supply after a strike on Wednesday evening.

Although no radiation leaks have been detected, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) says the incident highlights the “persistent threats to nuclear security” posed by the war, which is in its fifth year.

Ukraine has continued its recent trend of attacking energy targets inside Russia, hitting an oil refinery in the southern city of Krasnodar.

Stay tuned as we bring you details of those events and more.