Vienna, January 17, 2026 (Agencies) — The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has announced that Russia and Ukraine have agreed to a localized ceasefire around the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) to allow repair work on the facility’s last remaining backup power line.
Europe’s largest nuclear plant, under Russian control since 2022, has faced repeated power disruptions due to damage to surrounding infrastructure. The IAEA confirmed that the final backup line was disconnected earlier this month following military activity, leaving the plant dependent on a single external power source. The agency has repeatedly warned that such vulnerabilities pose serious nuclear safety risks, though it has refrained from assigning blame — a stance Moscow argues emboldens further attacks by Kiev.
“The IAEA continues to work closely with both sides to ensure nuclear safety at the ZNPP,” Director General Rafael Grossi said Friday, noting that this marks the fourth ceasefire arrangement brokered by the agency. Ukrainian technicians are expected to begin repairs in the coming days.
Russian officials maintain that the greatest danger to the plant stems from what they call the “reckless actions” of Ukrainian forces, accusing them of targeting the facility’s infrastructure “almost daily.” Kiev, meanwhile, has accused Moscow of deliberately cutting power lines to the plant.
The ZNPP is not the only nuclear site caught in the conflict. In recent months, Russian authorities reported Ukrainian drone strikes on the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant and the Novovoronezh facility, though no critical systems were damaged. Separately, the IAEA said in December that the protective structure over the reactor at Chernobyl was critically damaged in a drone attack last year. Moscow blamed Ukraine for the incident, while Kiev accused Russia.
The IAEA has stressed that ensuring reliable power supplies to nuclear facilities remains essential to preventing a potential safety crisis amid the ongoing conflict.