Kathrine Frich
Throughout recent peace negotiations, Vladimir Putin has repeatedly rejected the idea of a broad ceasefire.
He argues that any pause in fighting would favor Ukraine and delay Russia’s objectives.
Kremlin officials have echoed that stance, insisting that military operations should continue alongside diplomacy.
Yet near one of the most dangerous sites in the war, that position has briefly shifted.
Local pause agreed
Repairs have begun on a damaged power line supplying the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in southern Ukraine after a localized ceasefire was put in place, the International Atomic Energy Agency said.
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi thanked both Ukrainian and Russian sides for enabling the temporary halt in fighting, Reuters reported.
The pause allowed repair teams to access the site in Enerhodar, which has been under Russian occupation since early March 2022.
The IAEA said its monitoring team will closely supervise the work, which is expected to take several days.
Risk reduction effort
The repair effort is aimed at preventing a potential nuclear incident caused by repeated power disruptions.
External power lines are critical to maintaining safety systems at the plant, even though its six reactors remain shut down.
Grossi has repeatedly warned that continued fighting around the facility increases the risk of a serious nuclear accident, particularly when power supplies are damaged or cut.
Russian troops and staff from the state-owned nuclear company Rosatom remain stationed at the site.
Repeated outages
The Zaporizhzhia plant has lost external power multiple times since the start of the war.
The most recent outage occurred on December 13, after shelling damaged a power line connected to the facility.
Each interruption has forced the plant to rely on emergency systems, heightening concerns among international nuclear safety experts.
The IAEA has said that restoring stable power connections is essential to maintaining minimum safety standards at the site.
Control over the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant remains one of the most contentious issues in ongoing discussions about a potential peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine.
Sources: Reuters, International Atomic Energy Agency, WP.
