Ukraine is sounding the alarm that Russia could attack its nuclear power plants more than two years after Moscow launched its invasion.
Energy Minister German Galushchenko said Ukraine was forced to temporarily shut down at least one nuclear plant amid Russian attacks in recent months, with other facilities in the country at risk.
Galushchenko told the Financial Times that Ukraine is worried about a direct missile strike on three primary nuclear plants that generate nearly 60% of the country’s electricity.
One was shut down on Aug. 26 after a substation at the facility was struck in a Russian attack, the energy minister said. Consumers did not see major disruptions following the attack, but Galushchenko said the number of Russian missiles flying over the three plants increased in the following weeks.
“They have changed the routes of their drones and missiles..to go near or above the nuclear power station,” he said, adding that the missile sightings are occurring “every day.”
Galushchenko said Ukraine believes the August attack was calculated by Russia, as the missiles used cluster munition rockets that contained small mines to hit the substation.
He went on to say that if Moscow’s forces hit a nuclear reactor in Ukraine, it would be “the end” for Russia.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky previously warned of a Russian attack on the nuclear plant while speaking at the United Nations General Assembly in New York last month.
“Putin seems to be planning attacks on our nuclear power plants and the infrastructure, aiming to disconnect the plants from the power grid,” Zelensky told the global body.
He added that Moscow was using satellites to collect images of Ukraine’s nuclear infrastructure.
Russia occupies Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the largest located in Europe, after first launching attacks on the plant during the first weeks of the war.
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The attacks sparked concerns among many people about a nuclear incident similar to that of Chernobyl in April 1986, which was widely considered the worst nuclear disaster in history.
In addition to public pleas, Ukraine also sent a letter to the European Union’s energy chief, Kadri Simson, in September, according to Politico. The letter reportedly echoed concerns that a strike on a nuclear facility would cause devastating damage to electrical infrastructure and asked for assistance to avoid “serious harm” to Ukrainians.