According to information from the IAEA dated 20 January 2026, all external electricity supply to the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant has been cut off, and damage has also been recorded to power transmission lines leading to other nuclear power plants in Ukraine. It has not yet been confirmed by Ukraine authorities that Chornobyl has lost all external power. All of this is the result of yet another criminal Russian attack on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.
Greenpeace Ukraine notes that electricity from the grid is essential for the stable operation of nuclear safety systems at nuclear power plants, as well as for monitoring and cooling nuclear fuel.. The loss of external power complicates the safe operation of nuclear facilities and creates additional risks that are unacceptable in wartime conditions.
We would like to stress that, as of now, there is no immediate threat to radiation safety at the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant. Backup systems are in place, and the existing spent nuclear fuel remains in a stable condition. At the same time, it is important to emphasize that the absence of an immediate emergency does not mean that such incidents are safe or acceptable.
Greenpeace Ukraine condemns Russia’s latest massive attack on Ukraine’s nuclear-related infrastructure, which creates risks for nuclear safety in Ukraine and across Europe, and calls on European countries not to delay the imposition of sanctions against the Russian nuclear giant Rosatom, which continues to operate and do business within the EU and throughout the world.
Damage to energy infrastructure, including substations and power transmission lines, directly affects nuclear safety. Further attacks on Ukraine’s energy system increase risks not only for the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant, but even more so for the country’s operating nuclear power plants.
