Ukraine urges IAEA meeting over Russian attacks on energy system

Deputy Minister of Energy, Mykola Kolisnyk, stated this during a TV broadcast, Ukrinform reports, citing the Ministry of Energy.

He stated that the Ministry of Energy is in constant contact with IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi. Ukraine has requested that the Agency urgently convene a meeting of the Board of Governors. The goal is to create mechanisms to prevent Russian attacks on critical infrastructure and to increase international pressure on nuclear and radiation safety issues.

Kolisnyk said that the situation in Ukraine's energy system remains difficult following the recent massive Russian attack. Emergency restoration work continues 24/7.

"This strike was among the most technologically complex. Russia is using intelligence data to target key elements of Ukraine's power system architecture," he said.

Kolisnyk specifically noted Russian strikes on substations supplying the Khmelnytskyi and Rivne nuclear power plants.

"This is not the first targeted attack on critical high-voltage transmission lines. Their damage forces nuclear generation to temporarily reduce output to prevent emergency situations and cascading disconnections within the power system," he added.

According to Kolisnyk, most regions are now experiencing scheduled hourly power outages for all categories of consumers, as well as capacity restriction schedules for industry and business. Up to four rounds of hourly outages are currently in effect. The most difficult situation remains in the Poltava and Kharkiv regions due to electricity transmission shortages caused by damaged high-voltage lines.

Restriction measures are also in place in the Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kirovohrad, Kherson, Mykolaiv, Chernihiv, Vinnytsia, Cherkasy, Khmelnytskyi, Zhytomyr, and Kyiv regions, as well as in the city of Kyiv. Energy workers are trying to optimize outage schedules, but this is impossible without rational electricity consumption. Kolisnyk also urged businesses to make greater use of imported electricity.

As Ukrinform reported, Russian invaders attacked Ukraine on November 8 with over 450 strike drones and 45 missiles of various types.

As a result of the massive attack on the energy system, the Trypilska and Zmiivska thermal power plants were shut down. Substations critical to nuclear safety were also targeted.