Ukrainian Foreign Minister: Russia deliberately cut off power to the Zaporizhzhia NPP in order to connect the plant to its power grid

Russia could have deliberately disconnected the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant (ZNPP) from power supply, preparing to connect it to its own power system.

This was stated by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Andriy Sybiha.

According to the minister, the Kremlinʼs next step could be to launch the reactor under occupation — without proper cooling, licenses, and international supervision.

"The Zaporizhzhia NPP should be viewed as a military maneuver. Every step Russia takes is not only a mortal risk, but also a path to disaster. The recent blackout at the Chornobyl NPP, caused by a Russian strike on a substation, once again demonstrated that Moscow is using nuclear safety as a weapon," he noted.

Sybiha added that Ukraine has called on IAEA, member states, and international partners to take urgent measures — safety guarantees, "windows of silence" for repair work, unhindered access for repair crews, and provision of specialized equipment. This will allow for the restoration of backup lines and the return of external power to ZNPP.

• On September 23, Russian military forces once again damaged the power line that supplied the power plant with power from the Ukrainian grid. That day, at 4:56 PM, the last power line that supplied the plant with power from the Ukrainian grid was disconnected. This is the 10th and longest blackout at the plant since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion.
• The plant is forced to operate on diesel generators due to the loss of external power supply. This creates a critical situation that threatens the nuclear safety of not only Ukraine, but also European countries.
• On October 1, the Russians attacked Slavutych, causing a blackout in part of the Chernihiv region. There was also a blackout at the Chornobyl nuclear power plant, which lasted for over three hours.

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