Russia disconnects Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, prepares to reconnect it to own grid – MFA
Russia has disconnected the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant from Ukraine’s power grid, allegedly for a "test," and is preparing to connect it to its own system. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha stated this on social media X, Censor.NET reports.
"Russia deliberately cut power to the plant as part of preparations to reconnect it to its own grid," Sybiha noted.
The minister warned that the next step could be restarting the reactor under occupation without proper cooling and external oversight, which increases the risk of nuclear incidents.
The foreign minister called on the IAEA to ensure unhindered access for repair crews and the delivery of specialized equipment to restore power supply to the Zaporizhzhia NPP from Ukrainian territory.
Russia continues systematic attacks on Ukrainian energy facilities, increasing the risk of accidents and threatening the stability of the country’s power system. The international community, in turn, is urged to increase pressure on Russia and ensure the protection of nuclear sites in line with IAEA safety standards.
Meanwhile, Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin refused to acknowledge that Russian forces are shelling the territory of the occupied Zaporizhzhia plant and once again blamed Ukraine for the strikes. He also claimed that Russia could launch "mirror strikes" on nuclear plants in Ukraine in response to alleged Ukrainian attacks on the occupied facility.
