Kiev, Ukraine (AP) – Russia lasted Ukrainian power grid bombing Drones have deepened concerns about the safety of the country’s nuclear facility after knocking out electricity for more than three hours 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster As Europe’s largest nuclear power plant It remains disconnected from the gridauthorities said.
Both Chernobyl and the Zaporidia nuclear power plant under Russian occupation are not functioning, but to avoid potential nuclear accidents, a certain amount of power is required to operate a critical cooling system for spent fuel rods.
The blackouts will also blind the radiation monitoring system run by the UN Nuclear Monitoring Agency, the International Nuclear Energy Agency, to enhance security in Chernobyl.
“Russia is intentionally creating the threat of radiation accidents,” Ukrainian President Voldimi Zelenki said late Wednesday, criticizing the UN Watchdog and its Chihulafael Mariano Grossi for describing it as a weak response to danger.
“Every day in Russia’s war, all strikes against energy facilities, including those related to nuclear security, are global threats,” he said. “Weak and semi-measurements don’t work. Strong actions are required.”
War following the full Russian invasion Of that neighbor over three years ago, despite months, it doesn’t seem close to the ending US-led peace efforts.
Zelenskyy said at its nightly video address that Russia has launched more than 20 Shahed Drones for the energy infrastructure of Slavutych, Chernobyl, the location of the world’s worst nuclear accident.
The drone waves overwhelmed the defense and caused a blackout, he said, affecting the stone co, which prevented radioactive dust from escaping from the destroyed fourth reactor, exceeding more than 3,000 tons of spent fuel. He did not provide details of how it was affected.
“The Russians would have never known that a strike against the Slavonic would have such a consequence for Chernobyl,” Zelensky said.
Last February, A drone armed with a warhead It hits the Chernobyl’s shell outside its protection and sets a fire for a short time. Radiation levels there did not increase, officials said.
Europe’s largest nuclear power plant using diesel generators
Meanwhile, the Zaporizhzhia factory, one of the world’s largest nuclear facilities, is You will be disconnected from the grid for more than a week.
Zaporizhzhia was repeatedly caught up in crossfires during the war. Zelenskyy denounced Russian artillery for cutting power lines on plants, but Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said it was a Ukrainian artillery fire.
The facility operates six shutdown reactors and cooling systems for the fuel used, using emergency diesel generators.
The IAEA says the plant is not at risk anytime soon, but it hopes to quickly reconnect to the grid.
The War Institute, a Washington think tank, said the occupation of Zaporidia in Russia “deteriorating” the safety of plants.
On Wednesday, Moscow insisted that it wanted to integrate the plant into the Russian grid. This is a move that “acts as a tool that can be used to exacerbate security risks, reduce Ukraine’s future generation capacity, and justify its occupation.”
Prisoner exchange
In another development, Russia and Ukraine traded hundreds of prisoners on Thursday.
Zelenskyy said that he was 185 military individuals, most of whom have been taken prisoner of Russia since 2022, and that 20 civilians have returned to Japan.
More than 7,000 Ukrainians have returned since the war began, Zelensky said in a telegram.
The Russian Ministry of Defense said 185 soldiers and 20 civilians have returned.
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Hutton was reported from Lisbon, Portugal.
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