Camilla Jessen
Ukraine’s Energy Ministry says Europe’s largest nuclear facility is facing risks never anticipated by engineers or regulators.
Kyiv accuses Moscow of endangering nuclear safety in Europe by militarizing the occupied Zaporizhzhia power station, as new management systems raise global alarm.
Ukraine Raises the Alarm on Nuclear Threat
Ukraine’s Ministry of Energy is sounding a dire warning about the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), accusing Russia of weaponizing the facility and operating it under “dangerously unstable conditions.”
In a September 3 statement, reported by Radio Svoboda, the ministry condemned Moscow’s continued control of the plant and said Russian actions have pushed the facility into a state of “beyond-design threat,” a regime not envisioned in any operational scenario, structurally or procedurally.
“Critically Dangerous Disruptions” at the ZNPP
Since seizing the plant in 2022, Russia has caused “systemic, critically dangerous disruptions” to operations at Europe’s largest nuclear plant, the ministry said.
Among the concerns are the destruction of the main cooling water supply following the Nova Kakhovka dam explosion.
Also the repeated blackouts of the facility after being disconnected from Ukraine’s power grid — nine times in total.
Failure to Meet Basic Safety Standards
According to the ministry, there have also been a persistent failure to meet basic nuclear safety standards.
“These blackouts are direct prerequisites for a nuclear accident,” Ukraine’s Ministry of Energy (Minenergo) warned.
Putin’s Statements Spark Fresh Fears
The latest concerns come after Russian President Vladimir Putin publicly hinted on September 2 at introducing new and unspecified management and control systems over the ZNPP.
Ukraine says these announcements signal a dangerous new phase, one where the nuclear facility is being openly transformed into a military tool to support Russia’s war efforts.
Evidence of Military Use
“In this context, [Putin’s] statements should be considered as evidence of an attempt to use the ZNPP as a military tool,” the ministry said.
Nuclear Safety at Risk Across Europe
Kyiv emphasized that the implications of these developments go far beyond Ukraine’s borders.
“The Russian Federation’s actions pose a direct threat to nuclear safety in Europe,” Minenergo said, urging international allies to raise the issue during the upcoming IAEA General Conference in September.
Any attempt by Russia to impose new control mechanisms, Ukraine warns, should be considered an intentional escalation of nuclear risk.
Greenpeace and Others Call for Withdrawal
The environmental organization Greenpeace Ukraine has also weighed in, demanding that all Russian military units and personnel be withdrawn from the ZNPP.
Future Summit
Their call comes just days before a high-profile summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, scheduled to take place in Anchorage, Alaska.
Whether the summit will address the ZNPP crisis remains uncertain, but pressure from global environmental and nuclear watchdogs is rapidly building.
