Russia may temporarily cease hostilities near ZNPP to repair power lines - Sky News
Kyiv • UNN
Tomorrow, October 17, a decision may be made to temporarily cease hostilities near the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant to repair damaged power lines. Restoring stable power supply is critically important for cooling reactors and the safety of nuclear material.
According to Sky News, citing Russian state media, a decision on a temporary cessation of hostilities in the area of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant may be made as early as tomorrow, October 17. The goal is to ensure the repair of power lines supplying the strategic facility, which is currently under the control of Russian troops. This is stated in the Sky News material, writes UNN.
Details
According to media reports, the head of the Russian state corporation "Rosatom", Oleksiy Likhachev, stated that the so-called "period of calm" is needed to carry out repair work on two damaged power lines that provide energy supply to the Zaporizhzhia NPP. One of them passes through territory controlled by Russian forces, the other through Ukrainian territory.
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This is a very difficult decision that requires a fair balance. It is very preliminary, very cautious, and it is possible that such a decision will be implemented as early as tomorrow
Experts emphasize that restoring stable power supply to the plant is critically important, as the Zaporizhzhia NPP, the largest in Europe, currently does not produce electricity, but requires external power to cool reactors and ensure the safety of nuclear material.
Loss of this power even for a short time can cause a risk of overheating of nuclear fuel and create a threat of a large-scale man-made disaster.
At the same time, the Ukrainian side has not yet officially confirmed agreements on creating a "window of silence." Kyiv has repeatedly emphasized that any actions on the territory of the plant must be carried out under the control of the IAEA, which continues to monitor the safety of the facility.
It should be recalled that the Zaporizhzhia NPP has remained under Russian occupation since March 2022. Since then, shelling, power outages, and emergency shutdowns have been repeatedly recorded around the plant, causing serious concern in the international community.
Recall
On September 23, as a result of another provocation by the Russian military, a power line that supplied the ZNPP from the Ukrainian energy system was damaged.
Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha stated that Russia wants to connect the Zaporizhzhia NPP to its own energy system despite the risks of a nuclear incident. The Russians have already built a 200 km line from Melitopol to Mariupol.
On October 3, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi discussed with Russia and Ukraine detailed proposals for restoring external power supply to the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.