Russia\u2019s strategy is “to force Ukraine to accept unacceptable capitulation demands to end the war,” HUR said<\/a>. Already, the agency says Russia has conducted reconnaissance of ten critical energy substations in nine regions of Ukraine.<\/p>\n The recent mass attacks on energy facilities have prompted intervention<\/a> from the UN\u2019s International Atomic Energy Agency<\/a> (IAEA), which will send a team to assess 10 substations critical to nuclear safety, although it’s not clear when. <\/p>\n The IAEA did not reply to the Kyiv Independent’s inquiry by the time of publication. <\/p>\n “Russia is always trying to disconnect our nuclear plants, and it\u2019s really dangerous for nuclear safety, not only for Ukraine but for the whole of Europe,” Vitaliy Zaichenko, the CEO of Ukrenergo<\/a>, Ukraine\u2019s state grid operator, told the Kyiv Independent.<\/p>\n Electricity is needed at nuclear plants for safety reasons, such as reactor cooling systems. If an active plant is disconnected, it then relies on backup diesel generators to keep operating. If those generators fail, a nuclear meltdown can happen in hours.<\/p>\n Russia\u2019s months-long campaign against Ukraine\u2019s energy infrastructure has led to controlled power outages<\/a> across the country to avoid overloading the grid, leaving millions without power. As the crisis worsened, the government announced<\/a> a state of emergency in the energy sector on Jan. 14. <\/p>\n Russia hasn\u2019t directly targeted Ukraine\u2019s nuclear power plants, which are operated by state-owned firm Energoatom. But Russia has damaged and destroyed most of Ukraine\u2019s other generation facilities, including thermal power and hydroelectric plants.<\/p>\n With most other generation facilities down, nuclear energy is the main source of Ukraine\u2019s electricity. If nuclear power is cut off, Ukraine will be unable to generate enough electricity to heat and power the country.<\/p>\n While energy workers are working around the clock to repair damage<\/a>, they are hindered by icy, subzero temperatures and constant attacks. Recently, the frequency of Russia\u2019s strikes hasn\u2019t given workers enough time to fully repair facilities before they are hit again.<\/p>\n So far, Ukraine has managed to avoid a total collapse of the energy grid, but Russia\u2019s strikes are pushing the country closer and closer to the edge, Jan Vande Putte, a nuclear expert at Greenpeace, told the Kyiv Independent.<\/p>\n![\"Video](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1768671733_685_image.jpeg\"\/)
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