"It can happen at any time". Russia's actions are needed to stop blackout at Zaporizhzhia NPP – Sybiha

To stop the dangerous blackout of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, Russia must stop shelling and ensure the restoration of power lines, reported minister of Foreign Affairs Andriy Sybiha.

"Zaporizhzhia NPP has been in blackout mode for almost three weeks, which poses a threat to nuclear safety. Russia deliberately severed the plant's connection to the Ukrainian power grid to forcefully test the connection to the Russian grid, an action that has never happened before in the history of nuclear power," the official emphasized.

Sybiha noted that this is not only an attempt to steal a peaceful Ukrainian nuclear facility: the unauthorized actions of the Russian state corporation Rosatom violate internationally recognized safety protocols, contradict the Ukrainian license, and directly threaten a nuclear incident.

According to the minister, Russia is "trying to deceive" the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the entire technical and diplomatic community by pretending that the problem was not caused by Russia but by someone else.

However, the official added, the real problem is that Moscow has occupied and seized the Zaporizhzhia NPP, deployed its military and weapons there, mined its perimeter, and is now conducting technically unacceptable experiments.

To put an end to the dangerous blackout of the plant, the aggressor country must stop shelling and repair the power lines – and it "can do it at any time," Sybiha emphasized.

"We call on the international community to clearly recognize the actions of Russia and Rosatom as illegal, unacceptable and critically dangerous. We call on the IAEA to put pressure on Russia to stop all technical experiments at the plant and return it to its rightful owner, Ukraine," the official concluded.

Earlier, on October 9, IAEA director general Rafael Grossi stated that Zaporizhzhia NPP has started the process of restoring external power supply after "frequent contacts" with Ukraine and Russia in recent weeks.

• On September 23, the Ministry of Energy reported that the tenth blackout occurred at Zaporizhzhia NPP since the beginning of the occupation. The station was switched to diesel generators.

• This is the longest time the facility has been operating in this mode. The Deputy Minister of Energy noted that the generators and the plant itself are not designed for this.

• On October 7, the IAEA recorded numerous attacks in the immediate vicinity of the Zaporizhzhia NPP. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized that these actions are a deliberate provocation by Russia.