**Risk of Nuclear Disaster in Ukraine**
Russia’s attacks on power substations threaten to disrupt cooling systems at Ukraine’s nuclear facilities. This could lead to a large-scale radiological event, similar to the Chornobyl or Fukushima disasters.
A Greenpeace briefing warns that Russia is using the threat of a nuclear disaster as a way to defeat Ukraine. The organization says that strikes on critical power substations could cause nuclear fuel melt and release radioactive material into the environment.
**Nuclear Facilities at Risk**
Ukraine’s remaining nuclear facilities, located in Rivne, Khmelnytskyi, and South Ukraine, generate about two-thirds of the country‘s electricity. While the attacks did not directly target these plants, they have critically stressed the power grid supporting them.
The nuclear plants rely on external power to cool their reactors. If this is lost for an extended period, it could trigger a catastrophe that affects not just Ukraine but also parts of Europe.
**Previous Concerns**
In March 2022, Russia took control of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, Europe’s largest nuclear facility. This raised significant nuclear safety concerns due to the proximity of armed conflict to the plant.
The occupation involved deploying military forces within the plant’s premises and storing ammunition. Since then, the plant has been subjected to repeated attacks and disconnections from the Ukrainian power grid, further exacerbating the risks associated with its operation under Russian control.
**Increased Monitoring**
In response to these concerns, Slovakia is planning to increase radiation monitoring at the Ukrainian border. This follows warnings from President Zelenskyy about potential Russian attacks on nuclear facilities.
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