The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has announced plans to expand its support for nuclear safety in Ukraine by taking more proactive measures to protect high-voltage power grids, which are crucial for the safety of nuclear power plants.
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi, who met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv on September 3, stated that recent missile attacks have disrupted the connection between several Ukrainian nuclear reactors and the power grid, putting the national grid at risk of instability.
Grossi said, “The safe operation of nuclear power plants depends on the stability and reliable connection of the power grid. The war has made the situation increasingly fragile and even dangerous.”
To ensure the safety of Ukraine’s nuclear power plants, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will send a team of experts to assess damage at affected substations and take any necessary follow-up actions. IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi will also visit the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, describing it as “extremely vulnerable.” He noted that issues like drone strikes or damage to transmission lines could lead to power outages, which pose significant risks to reactor safety. “Without power, cooling cannot be maintained, leading to potential disaster,” Grossi warned.
Last week, Grossi visited the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant near the Russian border, where recent military actions by Ukrainian forces were reported to have occurred within 50 kilometers. He told Zelensky that the situation is “extremely serious” and emphasized the importance of avoiding a radiological emergency.
On Wednesday, Ukraine’s Energy Ministry reported that over the past 24 hours, Russian airstrikes hit energy facilities in six regions: Lviv in the west, Sumy and Kharkiv in the northeast, Donetsk in the east, Dnipro in the central-east, and Mykolaiv in the south. Ukrainian Air Force officials stated that critical infrastructure in three western regions was also targeted. Ukrainian forces intercepted seven out of thirteen incoming missiles and twenty-two out of twenty-nine drones nationwide. Officials reported that the attacks in Lviv resulted in seven deaths, including three children, and damaged over seventy buildings, including historic sites. A hotel in Kryvyi Rih, Dnipro Oblast’s industrial hub, was also hit, resulting in at least five injuries. Ukrainian officials reported that the Lviv attack killed a woman and her three daughters, leaving the father as the sole survivor.
Kremlin Spokesperson Peskov: Collective Western Actions Prompt Russia to Revise Nuclear Policy
On the other hand, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that Washington’s escalation of the Russia-Ukraine conflict and actions by the “collective West” have necessitated a revision of Russia’s nuclear policy.
Several Russian media outlets quoted Peskov, reporting that these changes are being made “in response to the challenges and threats posed by the so-called collective Western countries.”
While Russia has recently announced plans to revise its nuclear policy, details have not yet been disclosed. The current nuclear policy, established by President Vladimir Putin in 2020, permits the use of nuclear weapons if Russia is subjected to a nuclear attack or a conventional attack that threatens the country’s survival.
Peskov also mentioned that Russia is taking measures to prevent Ukraine from using U.S.-provided long-range weapons to strike deep within Russian territory.
Meanwhile, Russian Energy Minister Nikolay Shulginov stated on Wednesday, September 4, that Russia has been implementing measures to protect its nuclear power plants to counter potential attacks by Ukrainian forces.