Kathrine Frich
Moments of restraint between Moscow and Kyiv have been few, far between and fragile.
This week, however, both sides agreed to a limited pause in fighting under international supervision.
The move is aimed at preventing a far greater disaster.
A narrow pause
Russia and Ukraine have agreed to a localised ceasefire to allow urgent repair work at Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency.
The truce is strictly limited in scope and duration and does not signal a broader halt to the war.
IAEA director general Rafael Mariano Grossi said the agreement would enable repairs to begin on the last remaining backup power line supplying the plant. Zaporizhzhya,
Europe’s largest nuclear facility, has been repeatedly cut off from external power during the conflict.
The damaged 330 kV line was disconnected on January 2 following military activity.
IAEA mediation
Grossi said the IAEA had secured the consent of both Moscow and Kyiv to implement the ceasefire, marking the fourth such arrangement negotiated by the agency since Russia’s invasion began in February 2022.
“This temporary ceasefire demonstrates the indispensable role that we continue to play,” Grossi said, stressing the urgency of restoring stable power to the site.
Technicians from Ukraine’s grid operator are expected to begin work in the coming days. Until repairs are completed, the plant remains dependent on a single 750 kV main power line.
Wider nuclear risks
The IAEA also raised concerns about other nuclear facilities across Ukraine.
At the Chornobyl site, one power line was disconnected after an electrical substation was damaged by military activity.
Grossi warned that continued degradation of Ukraine’s power grid has direct implications for nuclear safety.
“A deterioration of Ukraine’s power grid from persistent military activity has direct implications on the nuclear safety of its nuclear facilities,” he said.
IAEA teams reported air raid alarms or nearby military activity at all five nuclear sites in Ukraine over the past week.
War grinds on
The ceasefire comes amid ongoing Russian strikes on civilian and energy infrastructure.
Recent attacks have killed and injured civilians in Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Odesa and Sumy regions, Ukrainian authorities said.
Despite the temporary pause around Zaporizhzhya, fighting continues elsewhere along the front lines.
Ukrainian officials have warned that Russia is intensifying pressure on the energy grid as winter temperatures plunge.
An IAEA team has departed Vienna to observe the repair work on the ground, underscoring international concern that any failure at the nuclear facilities could have catastrophic consequences beyond Ukraine’s borders.
Sources: IAEA, Express.
