Several Ukrainian power substations critical to nuclear safety were damaged during widespread Russian attacks on Monday morning, leaving the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) closely monitoring the situation, the agency’s chief said.
The attack also disconnected the Chornobyl nuclear power plant – the site of the 1986 nuclear disaster – from the grid for some hours.
At around noon on Tuesday, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant lost all external power supply, while power transmission lines serving other nuclear power plants in Ukraine were also affected.
“Several Ukrainian electrical substations vital for nuclear safety were impacted by widespread military activity this morning,” Grossi said in a statement. “The IAEA is actively following developments in order to assess their impact on nuclear safety.”