**Russia’s Attacks on Ukraine’s Power Grid Could Cause Nuclear Accident, IAEA Chief Warns**
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has warned that Russia’s continued attacks on Ukraine’s power grid are increasing the risk of a nuclear accident. This warning comes from IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi, who visited Kyiv to discuss nuclear safety in wartime.
**A Visit to Assess Damage and Meet Officials**
Grossi met with Ukrainian officials, including President Volodymyr Zelensky, Energy Minister Herman Galushchenko, and Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha. He also visited the Kyivska electrical substation, an important part of Ukraine’s power grid that is essential for nuclear safety.
**A Nuclear Accident Can Happen in Many Ways**
Grossi warned that a nuclear accident can happen not only from a direct attack on a plant but also from disruptions to the power supply. He was impressed with Ukraine’s reconstruction efforts at the substation despite the evident damage to critical infrastructure.
**Ukraine Relies on Nuclear Power for Most of Its Energy**
Since the full-scale war broke out in 2022, Russia has relentlessly targeted Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. Recent drone and missile strikes have necessitated emergency blackouts across the country. Ukraine relies on nuclear power for more than half of its energy production, making it increasingly vulnerable to a nuclear disaster.
**Occupation of Europe’s Largest Nuclear Facility**
Russian forces have occupied the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, Europe’s largest nuclear facility, since March 2022. The plant has been repeatedly disconnected from Ukraine’s power grid due to Russian attacks on energy infrastructure, posing a serious hazard to nuclear safety.
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