VIENNA — The International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) Board of Governors convened an urgent special session on Friday to address escalating nuclear safety concerns in Ukraine amid intensifying Russian attacks on energy infrastructure. The meeting, requested by the Netherlands with backing from eleven nations including Canada, France, Germany, Japan, and the United Kingdom, aimed to amplify diplomatic pressure on Moscow despite lacking binding authority.
Netherlands Ambassador Peter Potman presented alarming testimony, detailing how Russia’s ‘ongoing and daily’ assaults have crippled Ukraine’s energy grid during severe winter conditions. ‘These attacks not only deprive millions of Ukrainians of heating and electricity but critically compromise nuclear safety,’ Potman warned, noting the heightened prospect of a nuclear incident approaching ‘the very precipice of reality.’
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi emphasized the direct correlation between damaged electrical substations and nuclear risk, stating such targeting ‘undermines nuclear safety and must be avoided.’ An IAEA expert mission is currently assessing ten critical substations essential for maintaining safety at Ukrainian nuclear facilities.
Ukraine’s nuclear infrastructure includes four active power plants, with the Zaporizhzhia facility remaining under Russian occupation since 2022. While plants generate power internally, they require continuous external electricity for reactor cooling systems. Emergency diesel generators provide backup during power losses, but consecutive failures could precipitate meltdown scenarios.
Ukrainian Ambassador Yurii Vitrenko urged the IAEA to intensify scrutiny of Russia’s ‘systematic destruction’ of energy infrastructure, acknowledging U.S. President Donald Trump’s diplomatic efforts to curb attacks. However, specifics regarding Russia’s purported commitment to temporarily suspend bombardments remained unclear amid one of Ukraine’s most severe winters in recent history.