Ukraine Says Power Knocked Out To Chernobyl Nuclear Plant, Seeks Ceasefire To Allow Repair Of Power Line

Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February and captured the inactive plant. Since then, there was a wave of concern in the world, because there was a danger of damage due to the attack.

New Delhi: Amid heightened war between Russia and Ukraine, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on Wednesday said that Russia must observe a temporary ceasefire to allow repairs on a power line to the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.

The only electrical grid supplying Chornobyl NPP & all its nuclear facilities occupied by Russian army is damaged as quoted by news agency ANI.

"Reserve diesel generators have a 48-hr capacity to power the Chornobyl NPP. After that, cooling systems of the storage facility for spent nuclear fuel will stop, making radiation leaks imminent. Putin’s barbaric war puts entire Europe in danger," Dmytro added.

Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February and captured the inactive plant. Since then, there was a wave of concern in the world, because there was a danger of damage due to the attack. Because of this radiation could spread once again. Hundreds of people died here due to the disaster in 1986 and radioactive contamination spread throughout Europe.

On Tuesday, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the UN's nuclear watchdog, said the site was no longer transmitting data. The IAEA has expressed concern for employees working under the Russian Guards, as reported by AFP.

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi “indicated that remote data transmission from safeguards monitoring systems installed at the Chornobyl NPP had been lost,” the Vienna-based agency said in a statement on Tuesday.

“The Agency is looking into the status of safeguards monitoring systems in other locations in Ukraine and will provide further information soon,” it said.

On February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a special military operation against Ukraine.

“In contrast to the current situation for staff at Ukraine’s operating nuclear power plants who are rotating regularly, the same shift has been on duty at the Chernobyl NPP since the day before the Russian military entered the site of the 1986 accident on February 24, in effect living there for the past 13 days,” the statement said, citing Ukraine’s nuclear regulator.