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Bloomberg: Russian Attacks on Ukraine’s Power Grid Raise Risk of Catastrophic Nuclear Accident
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![Maryna_kulakova]( "Maryna Kulakova")
-924c3c302c27387e19f6c44aaeb98745.png "Maryna Kulakova")
Russian attacks on Ukraine’s damaged power grid have significantly raised the risk of a catastrophic nuclear accident, Bloomberg reported on December 13, citing US and European diplomats speaking at an emergency meeting of the UN atomic watchdog.
The International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) 35-nation board of governors convened in Vienna on December 12 at Ukraine’s request following Kremlin strikes on electrical infrastructure. Russia’s two massive aerial attacks last month forced Kyiv to reduce output at its nine operational nuclear reactors, which supply the majority of the country’s remaining power.
“The risk of a catastrophic incident is real and rising and would undoubtedly have a lasting impact in Russia as well as in Ukraine, and the surrounding region,” said US IAEA Ambassador Laura Holgate. “Yet the Kremlin continues to show no regard for nuclear safety and security.”
Substations, critical for regulating high-voltage transmission, are essential for nuclear safety systems, which require uninterrupted electricity to prevent reactor fuel from overheating. Ukraine’s Energy Minister German Galushchenko warned that attacks on key substations linked to nuclear plants could provoke a radiological emergency.
“IAEA experts have reported extensive damage at the substations,” the European Union stated, adding that the attacks have “significantly increased the risk of a nuclear accident, with potentially grave radiological consequences for human health and the environment, including for global food security, if agricultural land was to be contaminated.”
IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi confirmed that monitors will continue their work at the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, despite a vehicle carrying inspectors being attacked by a Russian drone earlier this week on December 10.
On December 13, Russia launched a large-scale combined missile and drone attack, deploying Kh-47M2 Kindzhal hypersonic missiles from MiG-31K jets and Kalibr cruise missiles from the Black Sea. The attacks caused significant damage to Ukraine’s power grid, Ukraine’s largest private energy provider, DTEK reported.
-21d0b63c17f6020e4df75f6c6f9a2f4f.jpg "Ivan Khomenko")
