Micah Jonah
January 31, 2026
The United Nations nuclear watchdog has held an emergency meeting to assess growing nuclear safety risks in Ukraine, amid concerns that continued Russian attacks on the country’s power infrastructure could endanger nuclear facilities.
The Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, said the ongoing conflict in Ukraine currently represents one of the most serious threats to global nuclear safety, warning that damage to key energy installations could have severe consequences.
The meeting, held in Vienna, followed a recent IAEA inspection of several electrical substations in Ukraine that are critical to maintaining safe operations at nuclear power plants. Although nuclear plants generate electricity, they depend on external power sources to keep reactors cool and operational during emergencies.
Ukraine operates four nuclear power plants, three of which remain under the control of Kyiv. The fourth and largest facility, the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, has been under Russian occupation since the early stages of the war in 2022. Russia and Ukraine have repeatedly accused each other of actions that could trigger a nuclear disaster at the site.
While the reactors at the Zaporizhzhia plant have been shut down, the facility still requires a steady electricity supply to maintain cooling systems and ensure overall safety. Earlier this month, Russian and Ukrainian forces temporarily paused local hostilities to allow repairs on a damaged backup power line supplying the plant.
The IAEA also expressed concern over Ukraine’s former Chornobyl nuclear site, where a protective structure containing radioactive material was reportedly damaged in a drone attack last year.
The emergency session was convened at the request of the Netherlands, with support from several other countries, to draw attention to the impact of continued attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. Officials warned that sustained damage to power facilities could push nuclear safety risks closer to a critical point.
Russian representatives at the meeting dismissed the gat he ring as politically motivated, insisting there was no justification for the discussion.
Meanwhile, the status of a temporary pause on attacks against energy infrastructure remains uncertain. United States President Donald Trump said Russia had agreed to halt such attacks for a week, while Ukrainian authorities confirmed no strikes had occurred overnight. However, Russian officials later suggested the suspension could end within days.
The IAEA said it would continue monitoring developments closely, maintain its presence at key nuclear sites to reduce the risk of a nuclear incident amid the ongoing conflict.
