Nuclear Risk Escalates as Russia Bombs Substations Powering Key Ukrainian Reactors
Russia launched planned missile strikes on substations supplying electricity to the Khmelnytskyi and Rivne nuclear power plants, causing serious disruptions to the Ukrainian power grid.
The Gaze reports on it, referring to Deutsche Welle.
On the night of November 8, Russia carried out a massive attack on Ukraine's energy infrastructure. According to Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, the strikes were deliberately aimed at substations that supply two Ukrainian nuclear power plants — Khmelnytskyi and Rivne.
“These were not accidental but well-planned strikes. Russia is deliberately endangering nuclear safety in Europe,” he wrote on social media.
The Minister called on the IAEA to urgently convene a meeting of the Board of Governors to respond to Moscow's actions.
Sybiha also appealed to the international community, in particular China and India, to increase pressure on Russia and force it to stop attacks on energy facilities. In his opinion, only consolidated international pressure can stop Russian nuclear blackmail.
The IAEA confirmed that as a result of the strikes, both stations were forced to reduce electricity production. At the same time, Centrenergo, one of the largest power generating companies in Ukraine, reported extensive damage to its energy facilities, but assured that restoration work was already underway. Experts note that Russia was likely trying to disrupt the unity of the Ukrainian power grid between the banks of the Dnipro River.
According to Energy Minister Svitlana Hrynchuk, the night of November 8 was particularly difficult for the Ukrainian energy sector.
"The enemy launched a massive strike with ballistic missiles, which are extremely difficult to shoot down. It is difficult to recall such a number of direct strikes on energy facilities since the beginning of the invasion," the Minister emphasized.
Despite this, the power system was partially stabilized. Ukrainians were switched to hourly power outage schedules, which allows for repairs and gradual restoration of facilities.
Earlier, the IAEA informed that Russia's massive attack on October 30 damaged substations that are critical to Ukraine's nuclear safety. As a result of the shelling, the Khmelnitsky and South Ukraine nuclear power plants lost part of their external power supply, and IAEA experts were forced to take shelter. At the Rivne nuclear power plant, the operator reduced the capacity of two power units due to damage to the power grids.
As The Gaze reported earlier, Ukraine’s temporarily occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) has regained access to external electricity after enduring a month-long blackout.
Read more on The Gaze: Nuclear Heart: How Ukraine Inherited and Managed Its Energy Legacy