War in Ukraine: Current Threats to Radiation and Nuclear Safety of the Country

On 24 February, at 5 am, Ukrainians woke up to the sound of explosions: the Russian Federation had begun a war against Ukraine. Today’s realities of Ukrainians are disturbing sirens, basements and bomb shelters, sounds of shelling and explosions, destroyed houses, hospitals, schools… Tanks, armored personnel carriers, Bayraktars, Grad missiles, armored combat vehicles, air defense, anti-aircraft missile systems, fighter jets belong to the everyday vocabulary of ordinary people. The Armed Forces of Ukraine, the territorial defense, the foreign legion are heroically defending our state. All the inhabitants of Ukraine have united: some of them join volunteering, some people help financially, some join countering fakes and protecting information, and some people stops tanks with their bare hands. The whole world opposed the war in Ukraine and supports our state!

Every day, Russian troops strike at military and civilian targets. What is the situation in the nuclear industry of Ukraine? Is there a threat to the radiation and nuclear safety of Ukraine?

Chronology of events in the nuclear industry during the war in Ukraine

21 April

According to IAEA experts, Zaporizhzhya NPP unit 6 was transferred into cold shutdown, after which tests were carried out to assess fuel assembly cladding integrity. The results showed that claddings were not damaged. The transfer to cold shutdown will allow testing of the primary and secondary cooling systems and pumps at Zaporizhzhya NPP. Unit 5 remains in hot shutdown for in-house loads.

13 April

There was an explosion near the turbine hall of Zaporizhzhya NPP unit 4. Ukrainian nuclear scientists who continue their work at ZNPP heard the sounds of the explosion. The russian occupiers said that it was their mine that detonated, but they immediately began to “calm down” the workers and hide the traces so that the IAEA experts would not see this.

11 April

In temporarily occupied Enerhodar, the russian invaders are mining the coastline and the territory near Zaporizhzhya NPP. The mayor of Enerhodar Dmytro Orlov announced this.

8 April

The invaders are installing an additional fence to protect the entrances to Zaporizhzhya NPP. Thus, the invaders are actually expanding the closed perimeter around the plant, as if they are preparing it for defense. Workers will no longer drive directly to Zaporizhzhya NPP, as it has always been, but will have to cover the part of their way on foot.

According to the IAEA, anti-personnel mine exploded behind the fence near Zaporizhzhya NPP.

6 April

According to NNEGC “Energoatom”, in the evening masked occupiers broke into one of the premises in the temporarily occupied Zaporizhzhya NPP and took away four employees of the plant’s physical protection service. The nuclear workers were taken away in an unknown direction, and their place of staying remains currently unknown. At the same time, the company noted that the kidnapped workers were considered loyal to ZNPP occupation management, since they signed contracts with the fake Zaporizhzhya NPP operating organization. In particular, among the detainees was the deputy head of the service Mark Volkov, who contributed in every possible way to the illegal activities of the invaders, according to the company.

29 March

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi arrived at Zaporizhzhya NPP. This is the second visit of the IAEA head to ZNPP, since it was occupied by the russian military. During the visit, Rafael Grossi plans to see how the situation at Zaporizhzhya NPP has changed, communicate with the operating nuclear workers, and act as a guarantor of the rotation for members of the Agency’s permanent mission, which has been working at Zaporizhzhya NPP since September 2022.

25 March

russia and Belarus agreed to place tactical nuclear weapons on the territory of the Republic of Belarus. This was stated by russian president vladimir putin. In addition, according to putin, russia has already helped in transforming ten Belarusian aircrafts for using tactical nuclear weapons, as well as transferred Iskander missile systems that can carry such charges to Minsk.

20 March

British Deputy Minister of State for Defense Annabel Goldie said that the UK will transfer to Ukraine not only Challenger 2 battle tanks, but also shells with depleted uranium for them.

This information contributed to the emergence of a new wave of nuclear threats from russia, if Ukraine would receive such ammunition, as well as to the dissemination of fake information on the spread of “dirty nuclear bombs”. In particular, vladimir putin announced russia’s readiness to respond if Ukraine would use depleted uranium shells, and dmitry medvedev confirmed in his address that “the threat of a nuclear conflict has increased”, and “every day the supply of foreign weapons to Ukraine brings a nuclear apocalypse closer”.

17 March

After the seizure of the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant in March last year, russians illegally gained access to classified information subject to export control by the United States. This is a criminal offense under US law according to the letter from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Nuclear Security Administration dated 17 March 2023. Resulting from this document, the russians particularly gained access to two elements: to the Advanced Node Code (ANC-H) of Westinghouse Electric Corporation, which is a three-dimensional code of the reactor core simulator with two power groups, and  to 3KEYRELAP5-RT, which is an advanced code for thermal-hydraulic modeling of the reactor. It is used to control and monitor simulators, as well as speed up the processes of simulating various situations at the plant.

13 March

According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the occupiers began to transfer simulation equipment from the training center at Zaporizhzhya NPP, which was used to improve personnel skills.

9 March

The last communication line of the occupied Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant with the Ukrainian energy system was disconnected because of russian rocket attacks at 03:53 AM in the night. At present, the plant is de-energized and has switched to blackout mode for the sixth time during the occupation, units 5 and 6 are being transferred to a cold state, 18 diesel generators have been switched on to power ZNPP’s in-house loads.

The Energoatom official telegram channel published information at 16:53 PM that after a ten-hour blackout caused by enemy shelling at the largest nuclear power plant in Ukraine and Europe, the line was repaired; switching from standby diesel generators is under implementation in order to power in-house loads from the unified energy system of Ukraine.

6 March

At the meeting of the IAEA Board of Governors, Director General Rafael Grossi spoke of an increase in the number of military formations at ZNPP over the past few weeks: “Our team at the plant reported an increase in hostilities near the enterprise. There is an open discussion about the offensive and counter-offensive near the object. My simple question is: are we waiting for a nuclear emergency before we react?”

3 March

On 2-3 March, IAEA inspectors were rotated at Rivne, South Ukraine and Khmelnytsky nuclear power plants. IAEA international specialists should monitor compliance with the safety indicators at Ukrainian NPPs, in particular, in a state of war. In addition, IAEA inspectors can analyze the impact of russian military strikes on the energy infrastructure of Ukraine and convey this information to the entire world community.

2 March

In its statement proclaimed after the OSCE Permanent Council meeting in Vienna, the European Union expresses “deep concern over the recent explosions near Zaporizhzhya NPP and russia’s continued illegal occupation and control over the object. The situation can be resolved only through the complete withdrawal of russian troops and military equipment from the territory of the plant”.

The rotation of IAEA experts took place at Zaporizhzhya NPP. It was planned in early February, but was blocked by the occupiers.

28 February

president of the russian federation dictator vladimir putin signed a law ending russia’s participation in the Strategic Offensive Arms Treaty (START III). This law came into force from the date of its official publication.

27 February

IAEA experts reported that about 20 “detonations” were heard during the day, apparently near the plant that is located in the front zone of active hostilities.

25 February

IAEA experts reported that 330 kV backup power line was disconnected due to the sound of military activity, then it was briefly restored, but further it was lost again. The disconnection occurred on the other side of the Dnipro River opposite ZNPP. The power line was restored on Sunday afternoon.

23 February

Secretary General at the Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs of the Republic of Austria, Peter Launsky-Tieffenthal, in his speech at the special session of the UN General Assembly in New York during the consideration of the resolution “Principles Underlying a Comprehensive, Just and Lasting Peace in Ukraine” stated: “One of the aspects that Austria strongly condemns are the veiled but easily recognizable threats to use nuclear weapons repeatedly made by russia. Nuclear risks are now the highest in last decades and their potential devastating global humanitarian and environmental consequences are a direct threat to the entire international community”.

20 February

According to NNEGC “Energoatom”, the russian security forces and Rosatom employees continue to turn Zaporizhzhya NPP into a military base. They set up a machine-gun position on the roof of unit 5, and placed checkpoints at all entrances to clean overpasses, through which personnel get directly to the units. At the same time, more than 600 mobilized personnel and cadets from russia arrived at ZNPP and were placed in the NPP bomb shelter. In addition, the occupiers continue to build fortifications and military installations around the NPP units and dry for spent fuel storage facility (DSFSF).

According to the IAEA, the russian military is blocking the rotation of IAEA personnel at Zaporizhzhya NPP.

19 February

The Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine confirms the preparation of components of the strategic nuclear forces for the launch of sea- and land-based ballistic missiles, as well as air-launched cruise missiles. In addition, the Monolith centralized combat control system of the russian federation was tested as part of the preparations for the exercises. In particular, combat control channels were checked, the forces and means of the strategic nuclear forces were transferred to the highest levels of combat preparedness, the crew of the strategic missile submarine was given a combat order to enter the launch area, and 24-hour combat preparedness of the strategic nuclear forces for its use is maintained. In addition, an auxiliary control point of the long-range aviation command was deployed at the Tambov airbase.

18 February

Two enemy cruise missiles were recorded during another massive russian missile attack at South Ukraine nuclear power plant at 08:25 and 08:27 AM. Air objects moved along the channel of the Pivdenny Buh River in the direction of the city of Pervomaisk in Mykolaiv oblast, and flew dangerously close to the nuclear facility. The threat of getting into the reactor with possible consequences – a nuclear catastrophe – was high again.

14 February

The Norwegian Intelligence Service (NIS) informs in its annual report that ships of the russia’s northern fleet started to go to sea with tactical nuclear weapons for the first time in 30 years.

10 February

Today’s russian missile attack on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure facilities, which caused instability in the electric grid, led to the shutdown of one of the Khmelnytsky NPP units. This event was confirmed by IAEA, which stays at NPP. After the incident, all KhNPP safety systems are operated in regular mode. The massive russian missile attack also led to a decrease in electricity generation at the Rivne and Pivdennoukrainsk NPPs.

SNRIU has limited the validity of licenses for the operation of units 3, 4, 5, 6 of the temporarily occupied Zaporizhzhia NPP due to incompliance with nuclear and radiation safety requirements. In particular, we are talking about the location of russian military equipment and weapons on the NPP territory, damage of communication lines with the energy system of Ukraine, and shelling of the ZNPP site. In addition, the NPP downtime and shutdown of all its power units caused a constant gradual degradation of systems and equipment. The decision to renew the license terms will be made by the regulator after ZNPP de-occupation, its return under the control of the legal operator – Energoatom, as well as inspection and restoration activities.

6 February

The city chairman of Enerhodar, Dmytro Orlov, said that in the temporarily seized Enerhodar, cases of kidnapping of NPP workers who refuse to sign contracts with the fake rosatom’s company have recently become more frequent.

Personnel from the Kalinin NPP arrived at the temporarily occupied Zaporizhzhia NPP, including reactor control engineers, shift supervisors, electricians and other representatives of the nuclear specialties. The invaders believe that nuclear experts from russia will be able to work at the captured Ukrainian plant.

3 February

The IAEA permanent mission working at the site of the temporarily occupied Zaporizhzhia NPP, which is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe, recorded a decrease in the water level in the Kakhovka reservoir.

2 February

russia again threatens to use nuclear weapons. So, during a speech in Volgograd in honor of the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Stalingrad, russian president vladimir putin again hinted at the use of nuclear weapons in response to the “threats” of the West saying that Russia “has something to answer” to European countries and added that for those who plans to defeat Russia, “this will not end with the use of armored vehicles.”

26 January

Due to the russian occupiers, the full-scale simulator (FSS), which is used to practice the skills necessary for working at a nuclear facility, is not operated at the Zaporizhzhia NPP. The occupiers are deliberately blocking access to the workplaces for FSS instructors, as they refused to cooperate with the enemy and sign contracts with the fake Zaporizhzhia NPP Operating Organization JSC. Training and skill improvement at FSS is an important component of operational activities for NPP safety and should be carried out systematically so that the personnel maintain and develop previously acquired skills. Since the full-scale simulator cannot fully function now, Ukrainian nuclear experts cannot study or improve their skills for an unknown period, and this threatens the operational safety of the Europe’s largest nuclear facility.

25 January

IAEA experts at Ukrainian ZNPP report on massive explosions occurred outside the facility. Eight strong explosions were heard. They caused vibration of the offices’ windows at the plant.

20 January

According to the Energoatom telegram channel, the occupiers do not have enough personnel at ZNPP. Accordingly, the invaders have reached the point where they are looking for experts in ads. Moreover, they are looking for personnel of a highly specialized nuclear professions: operators of the reactor compartment, operator of the internal combustion engine, experts on the maintenance of reactor and turbine equipment. All these specialties require specialized education and experience, without which it is simply impossible to work at the largest nuclear power plant in Europe. However, the occupiers are only concerned about the number of personnel, and the quality seems to be out of the question.

18 January

An IAEA permanent monitoring mission launched its work at the Chornobyl NPP.

17 January

An IAEA permanent monitoring mission launched its work at the Rivne NPP.

16 January

An IAEA permanent monitoring mission launched its work at the Pivdennoukrainsk NPP. The IAEA permanent presence in Ukraine was expanded to reduce the risks of a nuclear accident or incidents, as well as to control nuclear safety, security and physical protection at Ukrainian nuclear power plants, which are on the part of the russian federation in the full-scale war.

Yesterday, ZNPP’s only 330 kV standby line, which was switched off many times in recent weeks, was disconnected for several hours for maintenance. Now it is connected again. NPP, at which six reactors were shut down, continues to receive off-site power for nuclear safety functions from the last 750 kV transmission line remaining in operation.

14 January

Air attacks caused a fire on the premises of the Institute for Nuclear Research in Kyiv. The fire affected a warehouse at the site and caused no damage to the reactor or to its fuel. No personnel were injured. Radiation monitoring was performed, and radiation levels were confirmed to be normal.

11 January

russian occupiers continue to exert moral and physical pressure on ZNPP workers. Thus, almost 1500 employees of the Zaporizhzhia NPP, who refused to receive russian passports and sign a contract with the rosatom, are deprived of passes and access to the enterprise. The invaders look for new NPP workers in russia and prepare a housing stock for future workers through the so-called nationalization of the apartments of the departed local residents.

7 January

In Enerhodar, Zaporizhzhia region, the russian occupation forces forced about 3000 workers at the Zaporizhzhia NPP to obtain so-called russian passports. This is stated in the message of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

6 January

In the evening, backup power supply of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant was restored after repairing the 330 kV line, which was disconnected on New Year’s Eve due to damage caused by shelling, was completed.

The IAEA mission reported on exhaustion and stress among ZNPP operational personnel. It is noted that the alarming level of fatigue of NPP workers is due to the increase in the length of the working day and additional shifts, as well as stress caused by the war.

5 January

In the temporarily occupied Crimea, equipment and military of the russian radiation, chemical and biological protection were located at the Crymskyi Tytan plant in Armiansk. It is not yet known what caused the presence of these units at the captured enterprise. The presence of the military at chemical industry objects is a violation of international humanitarian law.

3 January

The russians are bring their personnel to the captured Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant instead of those who refuse to work for the occupiers. Thus, in January, it is planned to appoint dmitrii meniaev, deputy director of the special safety department of the rosenergoatom concern (rosatom subsidiary), to the position of ZNPP Deputy Director for Physical Protection and Regime.

2 January

occupying energy operator rosatom is implementing its own monitoring system on the territory of the captured Zaporizhzhia NPP, in particular, a closed local network, video surveillance systems, etc.

29 December

IAEA experts reported that at 21:35, the Zaporizhzhia NPP was disconnected from the 330 kV Ferosplavna-1 backup line as a result of damage caused by russian shelling on the other Dnipro side, the extent of the damage is still unknown, but  repair of the line is already ongoing. At the same time, it is noted that Ferosplavna-1 was the last ZNPP operating backup transmission line.

19 December

At 00:46, a Shahid kamikaze drone was recorded flying over the Pivdennoukrainsk NPP in proximity to the nuclear facility, which is an unacceptable violation of nuclear and radiation safety.

14 December

russians continue to put pressure on the workers of the temporarily occupied Zaporizhzhia NPP forcing them to sign contracts with the fake Zaporizhzhia NPP Operating Organization JSC or another rosatom enterprise. The occupiers spread fake information that from 1 January 2023, the Energoatom will stop paying salaries to ZNPP employees, including those who cannot get to work places because russian security forces prevent access to them.

13 December

IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi and Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal have agreed that the International Atomic Energy Agency will ensure the continued presence of nuclear safety and physical protection experts at all nuclear power plants in Ukraine as part of an intensified effort to help prevent a nuclear catastrophe due to the full-scale russian invasion of Ukraine.

10 December

One of the Energoatom VVER-1000 power units was disconnected from the grid to eliminate faults of the backup protection current transformer. The faults were eliminated, and on 11 December at 02:43, the power unit was connected to the power grid again. The repair of another VVER-1000 power unit, which was damaged as a result of shelling of the Ukrainian energy infrastructure on 23 November 2022, is also being completed. In the coming days, it will also be connected to the grid.

9 December

IAEA experts completed work at the Pivdennoukrainsk, Rivne and Khmelnytskyi NPPs. From 29 November to 9 December, they assessed the state of nuclear and radiation safety and security of nuclear power plants under the military aggression of the russian federation. They also checked the physical protection system, emergency preparedness and response, as well as logistics and communications.

8 December

At the Zaporizhzhia NPP, the russian occupiers continue to use physical violence forcing workers of the temporarily occupied Zaporizhzhia NPP to sign contracts with the fake Zaporizhzhia NPP Operating Organization JSC or another rosatom enterprise. In particular, the russian security forces broke into the rooms where the ZNPP Social Programs Department was located and severely beat Head of the Department, Oleksii Trubenkov, and his Deputy, Yurii Androsov. After a severe beating, the invaders took them out of the room and away in an unknown direction. In addition, the occupiers detained and “threw to the basement” ZNPP shift supervisor Kostiantyn Beiner, who is a licensed person and is directly responsible for nuclear and radiation safety.

7 December

According to the Energoatom, the russian military brought several Grad multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) to the territory of the captured Zaporizhzhia NPP. The invaders placed these weapons near unit 6, next to the territory of the NPP dry spent fuel storage facility, where some protective structures were previously secretly built violating all nuclear and radiation safety conditions.

24 November

Zaporizhzhia NPP in-house power supply is provided from the Ukrainian energy system. All diesel generators are disconnected and transferred to the standby mode. Startup operations are conducted at units of the Rivne, Pivdennoukrainsk and Khmelnytskyi NPPs. During the day, when the power system is prepared, units of these NPPs will be connected to the grid.

On 22-24 November 2022, an IAEA mission took place at the Chornobyl NPP and Centralized Radwaste Management Enterprise. In particular, IAEA representatives visited the Pidlisnyi and Buriakivka radioactive waste disposal sites, CRME Vektor, and ChNPP laboratories. Based on the mission results, IAEA representatives studied the state of the facilities of the enterprises to provide the necessary assistance, namely, upgrade of ChNPP and CRME technical equipment.

23 November

As a result of frequency decrease in the energy system of Ukraine, scram was actuated at the Rivne, Pivdennoukrainsk and Khmelnytskyi NPPs, due to which all power units were automatically disconnected. The radiation background at the NPP sites and nearby areas has not changed, all indexes are normal. The temporarily occupied Zaporizhzhia NPP, which is not operated since September of this year, was transferred to a complete blackout mode with the launch of all diesel generators. Thus, for the first time in the 40-year history of the Ukrainian nuclear power industry, all nuclear power units were disconnected.

20 November

The russian military shelled the Zaporizhzhia NPP site all morning, due to this, at least 12 hits were recorded. As a result, overpasses for connection with special buildings, chemically desalted water storage tanks, steam generator blowdown system, auxiliary systems of one of the two general plant diesel generators and other equipment of the NPP infrastructure were damaged. Three hits were also recorded in the area of ​​the Raiduha substation. The information about damage and destruction there is still being clarified.

17 November

The IAEA Board of Governors adopted the third resolution since the start of the war in Ukraine calling on Russia to stop all activities at Ukrainian nuclear facilities. The document notes: “(The Board) expresses its grave concern that the russian federation did not heed the Board’s calls to immediately cease all actions against and at nuclear facilities in Ukraine and requests that the russian federation do so immediately.” Also “(the Board) expresses its deep concern due to the unacceptable pressure and detentions of Ukrainian operational personnel at the Zaporizhzhia NPP, as well as repeated disruptions in external power supply due to shelling of the adjacent territory.” 24 countries of the IAEA Board of Governors voted for the resolution. Two states – China and russia – voted against, seven – Kenya, Namibia, India, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and Vietnam – abstained, and two more were absent during the voting.

16 November

SSTC NRS experts, as crew members of the RanidSONNI mobile radiological laboratory, conducted a radiation survey in the Nemishaieve territorial community, namely, place where the russian military stayed between the Mykulychi and Myrotske villages, Bucha district, Kyiv region, as well as the territory of the park and streets in Klavdiievo-Tarasovo in accordance with the request of local residents. The survey was carried out to identify radioactive contamination and radioactive materials that could be taken by the occupiers beyond the Exclusion Zone and the Zone of Unconditional (Mandatory) Resettlement. According to the results, no radioactive contamination was found, which could be associated with the activities of the occupiers. In the surveyed areas, no increase in the ambient dose equivalent of gamma radiation (EDR) was recorded. EDR values measured during vehicle gamma survey and manually were up to 0.12 μSv/h, which corresponds to the background values peculiar to the area.

15 November

As a result of russian missile attacks on the energy infrastructure of Ukraine, the Khmelnytskyi nuclear power plant lost access to the grid and was temporarily transferred to diesel generators as a backup power source. During this period, two NPP reactors were shut down. More than nine hours later, at 3:45 a.m., NPP resumed off-site power through two standby 330 kV transmission lines, and the diesel generators were disconnected. Approximately another hour later, one of these lines was lost again and was restored only at 11:25. Two reactor units remained in shutdown mode.

There was also an automatic shutdown of one RNPP unit due to the loss of connection with one of its 750 kV power transmission lines. As a result, NPP reduced its power, and one of its four units was automatically disconnected. On Wednesday, at 4:00 am, NPP increased power of its another unit to continue power supply to the Ukrainian grid.

11 November

In the period from 8 to 11 November 2022, SSTC NRS experts, as crew members of the RanidSONNI mobile radiological laboratory, conducted a radiation survey in the Makarov territorial community. The survey was carried out to identify radioactive contamination and radioactive materials that could be taken by the occupiers beyond the Exclusion Zone and the Zone of Unconditional (Mandatory) Resettlement due to a violation of the radiation safety regime. According to the results, no radioactive contamination of objects, rooms and sites was found, which could be associated with the occupiers’ activities. In the surveyed areas, no increase in the ambient dose equivalent of gamma radiation (EDR) was recorded. EDR values measured during vehicle gamma survey and manually were up to 0.18 μSv/h, which corresponds to the background values peculiar to the area.

4 November

At about 22:00, 750 kV power supply at all six ZNPP units was restored, and eight operating emergency diesel generators were disconnected and switched to the standby mode.

3 November

After completing an inspection of three locations in Ukraine, which was carried out at the request of the Ukrainian government, IAEA inspectors found no evidence of illicit nuclear activities and materials. Recall that earlier the minister of defense of the russian federation serhii shoigu said that Ukraine was allegedly preparing a provocation against russia using the so-called dirty nuclear bomb.

2 November

As a result of shelling by the russian military, the last two high-voltage communication lines of the Zaporizhzhia NPP with the Ukrainian energy system were damaged. At 23:04, NPP was transferred to a complete blackout. All 20 diesel generators were connected, but only 9 of which were left in operation. Units 5 and 6 were transferred to a cold state. Fuel for the operation of diesel generators under ZNPP complete blackout is enough for 15 days.

The Ukrainian ZNPP personnel resumed heat supply in Enerhodar. Hot water also appeared in residential buildings. This became possible after the transfer of two NPP units to the hot shutdown. Now ZNPP employees continue to launch systems to restore heat supply in Enerhodar. Water temperature is currently 51 degrees Celsius. This is not enough to provide Enerhodar with heat and hot water in full. However, even this temperature helps protect the city’s utility networks against damage under cold weather. Since May, Zaporizhzhia NPP, and not Zaporizhzhia TPP,  has been supplying heat and water to Enerhodar residents. It had to be shut down due to the terrorist actions of the russian occupiers.

1 November

russian occupiers placed electronic warfare systems on the roof of ZNPP unit 5. This was reported by the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense.

30 October

In the evening, beyond the fence along the ZNPP perimeter, a land mine exploded, which led to the disconnection of a 750 kV external power line. As a result, the ZNPP-4 power supply line was disconnected. This was announced by IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi.

27 October

Within three days, SSTC NRS as crew members of the RanidSONNI mobile radiological laboratory conducted a survey in the Ivankiv and Polissia territorial communities. The survey was carried out to identify radioactive contamination and radioactive materials that could be taken by the invaders beyond the Exclusion Zone and the Zone of Unconditional (Obligatory) Resettlement due to a violation of the radiation safety regime. According to the survey results, no radioactive contamination of objects, rooms and sites was found, which could be associated with the activities of the occupiers. In the surveyed areas, no increase in the ambient dose equivalent of gamma radiation (EDR) was recorded. EDR values measured during vehicle gamma survey and manually were up to 0.19 μSv/h, which corresponds to the natural background values peculiar to the area.

24 October

During the week, the russian occupiers have been conducting unauthorized construction on the territory of the dry spent  fuel storage facility (DSFSF) at ZNPP. Ukrainian personnel and IAEA representatives at the ZNPP site are not allowed by the invaders to enter the construction site. Such construction on the territory of a nuclear power plant is an illicit interference by russia in the ZNPP design and a gross violation of both the terms of the license for NPP operation and international nuclear and radiation safety requirements. 173 containers are stored at DSFSF. The destruction of these containers due to detonation will lead to a radiation accident and radiation contamination of several hundred square kilometers of the adjacent territory.

23 October

G7 called on Russia to return full control of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant to its rightful sovereign owner, Ukraine, remove all russian personnel from the facility, and stop any reckless and hazardous attempts to bring ZNPP under russian control, which could further aggravate the threat to its safety.

18 October

At the meeting of the First Committee of the UN General Assembly, the deputy head of the russian delegation, kostyantyn vorontsov, said that russia excluded the established of a demilitarized zone around the Zaporizhzhia NPP because this would create conditions for a counterattack by the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

17 October

russian terrorists once again shelled critical infrastructure substations on the territory controlled by Ukraine. This caused disconnection of the last 750 kV ZNPP–Dniprovsk line at 03:59. In the transitional process, because of short-term voltage drop, the ZNPP inhouse transformer tripped and diesel generators actuated. In addition, the 750 kV Pivdennoukrainsk NPP–Dniprovsk line disconnected, but without affecting the PNPP loads.

russians detained and took Oleg Kostyukov, Head of ZNPP Information Technology Service, and Oleg Osheka, Assistant to ZNPP Director General, to an unknown destination. Nothing is currently known about their location or condition.

13 October

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) adopted a resolution declaring russia a terrorist regime. According to the PACE resolution, the leadership of the russian federation has increased threats of nuclear warfare, “continuing its illegal occupation and militarization of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant”, and such threats are abhorrent and reckless, in breach of international law and incompatible with the responsibilities of a nuclear power holding a permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council. In this regard, “the Assembly should look into the issue of the seat of russian federation in the United Nations Security Council”.

12 October

Ukrainian specialists restored the 750 kV high-voltage ZNPP–Dniprovsk line.

Energoatom prepared and sent another batch of diesel fuel to the ZNPP. However, as of 10:00 am, the russian side did not allow Energoatom’s vehicle convoy to pass.

At 08:59, the Dniprovsk substation in the Dnipropetrovsk region was damaged by rockets fired by russian troops. This caused emergency disconnection of the 750 ZNPP–Dniprovsk line. The Zaporizhzhia NPP thus underwent total blackout. The diesel generators turned on automatically.

10 October

russian terrorists kidnapped Valery Martyniuk, ZNPP Deputy Director General, and are holding him in an unknown place, probably using their methods of torture and intimidation.

9 October

Ukrainian specialists repaired and put into operation the 750 kV high-voltage ZNPP–Dniprovsk line that was damaged on 8 October at 00:59 by shelling by russian troops. The radiological background on the ZNPP site and the surrounding area did not change and was within limits.

8 October

At 00:59, another shelling attack by russian troops damaged and disconnected the last 750 kV ZNPP–Dniprovsk line. This caused loss of power to the Zaporizhzhya NPP and the diesel generators turned on  automatically. The available diesel fuel supplies would allow their performance for 10 days.

5 October

russian rosatom corporation created a joint-stock company “Operating Organization of the Zaporizhzhya NPP” with registration in Moscow, with the purpose of managing the occupied ZNPP.

Petro Kotin, Energoatom President, assumed duties of the Zaporizhzhia NPP Director General.

3 October

Zaporizhzhia NPP Director General Igor Murashov, who was kidnapped by russian soldiers on 30 September 2022 on the way from the plant to Energodar, was released and was at the off-site ZNPP Emergency Center in Zaporizhzhia.

On the territory of russia, the movement of a freight train with special-purpose military equipment, such as infantry fighting vehicles, self-propelled guns and trucks being in service with the 12^th main department of the russian ministry of defense responsible for nuclear engineering support and safety, was detected.

30 September

Around 4:00 pm, Zaporizhzhya NPP Director General Igor Murashov was detained by a russian patrol on the way from the plant to Energodar. He was forcibly detained and blindfolded and taken to an unknown destination. There is currently no information about Igor Murashov’s location or fate.

21 September

At 01:13, russians shelled the Zaporizhzhya NPP. This caused damage to the equipment connecting ZNPP Unit 6 to the outdoor switchgear. The block transformer and inhouse unit transformers disconnected. The loss of power caused emergency actuation of two diesel generators of safety systems to support operation of the fuel cooldown pumps. At 02:00 am, ZNPP staff found the possibility to set up power supply for Unit 6 inhouse loads from the bus system of other plant units. The diesel generators of Unit 6 were turned off and put into standby.

19 September

At 00:20, russians fired missiles at the industrial area of the Pivdennoukraisnk NPP. A powerful explosion occurred 300 m from the PNPP reactors. Inspection established the crash area and found a hole from the missile explosion with a diameter of 4 m and a depth of 2 m and missile fragments. The shock wave damaged the plant buildings and more than 100 windows. Moreover, one of the hydraulic units of the Oleksandriv hydroelectric plant, being part of the Pivdennoukrainsk energy system, turned off.

Three high-voltage power lines also disconnected and then automatically connected to the grid.

15 September

The IAEA Board of Governors, including representatives of 35 UN member states, adopted a resolution demanding russia to cease all actions against the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and any other nuclear facility in Ukraine. The document was proposed by Canada and Poland on behalf of Ukraine, which does not sit on the board of the IAEA’s highest decision-making body. 26 countries voted in favor of the resolution,  two countries, China and russia, voted against and seven more countries (Egypt, South Africa, Senegal, Burundi, Vietnam, India and Pakistan) abstained.

11 September

At night, at 03:41, ZNPP unit 6 was disconnected from the power grid. Preparation for its cooldown and transfer to a cold state are underway. For the past three days, unit 6 has been operating in an island mode, powering its ZNPP needs only at a critically low power level (from 114 to 140 MW), since all communication lines of the Zaporizhzhya NPP with the Ukrainian power system were damaged due to russian shelling.

The russian military once again shelled the city of Voznesensk, Mykolaiv region, which is 30 km from the Pivdennoukrainska NPP. According to preliminary information, the missile hit civilian facilities, and there are casualties.

8 September

In a comment to russian propagandists, state traitor Evheny Balytsky threatened to fire at the Khmelnytskyi and Rivne NPPs: “A pair of “Kalibrs” will hit the Rivne and Khmelnytsky NPPs. That’s when these “lightly gendered” people will immediately have a desire to think about their lives. “When we hit the Rivne or Khmelnytskyi nuclear power plants, the rhetoric of the Americans will immediately change”, said the terrorist Balytskyi.

6 September

The IAEA published a Report on the results of the mission to the Zaporizhzhya NPP. IAEA inspectors noted that the russian federation has placed military personnel, vehicles and equipment on the territory of the ZNPP, in particular in the turbine halls of power units 1 and 2. In addition, it has been confirmed that there are representatives of “rosatom” at the ZNPP, who have a negative impact on the plant’s personnel, who work under stressful conditions. The mission recorded the damage suffered by the ZNPP during the shelling, in particular: physical integrity was violated, safety systems were not functioning, difficult conditions for personnel, damage to third-party power sources, complications of supply chains, problems with the operability of planned radiation monitoring and emergency measures at the site. In addition, the IAEA is ready to immediately start consultations on the urgent creation of a nuclear protection and security zone at the ZNPP.

5 September

Four of the six IAEA representatives of the inspection team completed their activities at the Zaporizhzhya NPP and left the plant site.

During the last three days, the russian occupying forces have continued intensive shelling of the territory around the Zaporizhzhya NPP. As a result, the 750 kV ZNPP – Dniprovska, 330 kV ZNPP – Kakhovska and 330 kV ZNPP – Melitopol transmission lines were damaged and disconnected. The AT 750/330 kV of the ZNPP was also damaged. Other lines of the ZNPP/TPP complex were damaged even earlier.

The 330-kV transmission line ZNPP-Ferosplavna was disconnected due to a fire caused by shelling. Therefore, unit 6, which powered the ZNPP’s own needs, was unloaded and disconnected from the grid.

3 September

In the evening, after the russian occupiers shelled the communication lines of the Zaporizhzhya NPP with the energy system of Ukraine and due to insufficient capacity of the last, reserve, line for two power units, at 7:35 p.m. ZNPP unit 5 was disconnected from the power grid. Currently, unit 6 remains in operation, which with limited capacity supplies electricity to the power system of Ukraine through the back-up line, and also powers the Zaporizhzhya NPP’s own needs.

2 September

Zaporizhzhya NPP power unit 5, which was disconnected on the morning of September 1 as a result of another mortar shelling by the russian occupying forces at the ZNPP site, was connected to the power grid at 1:10 p.m. Currently, two power units are operating at the plant, which generate electricity for the Ukrainian needs.

1 September

At 4:57 a.m., a mortar shelling of the Enerhodar satellite city and the site of the Zaporizhzhya NPP has been committed. As a result, the emergency protection was triggered and operating unit 5 was disconnected. In addition, the ZNPP 330 kV power supply line for its own needs was damaged. In the transitional mode, the power blackout of unit 2 occurred with the start-up of diesel generators. This is the second time in the last 10 days that the criminal actions of the occupiers have led to the unit shutdown and the plant blackout. Unit 6 continues operating in the energy system of Ukraine and at the same time to power the ZNPP’s own needs.

The russians are shelling the pre-agreed route of the IAEA mission from Zaporizhzhya to the ZNPP. Despite reports of intense shelling, the IAEA mission left Zaporizhzhya for Enerhodar. At 14:26, the IAEA mission arrived at the Zaporizhzhya NPP.

As of 18:00, the IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi and most members of the delegation left the Zaporizhzhya NPP. Currently, there are 5 representatives of the IAEA mission left at the plant, who are unloading the equipment they brought and will continue working at the ZNPP. It is expected that they would stay at the Zaporizhzhya NPP until September 3.

28 August

During the day, the russian military continued shelling Enerhodar and the Zaporizhzhya NPP site. As a result, 10 peaceful residents of Enerhodar received injuries of varying degrees of severity, four of them were NPP employees.

26 August

At 2:04 p.m., one of the ZNPP power units that was shutdown yesterday, was connected to the grid again. The second of the ZNPP power units, which was shutdown yesterday was connected to the power grid at 9:15 p.m. There are no remarks on the operation of equipment and safety systems.

The EU received a request from the government of Ukraine for potassium iodide pills as part of preventive safety measures to increase the protection of the public residing near the Zaporizhzhya NPP. In return, the European Union will provide 5.5 million potassium iodide pills to protect Ukrainians from possible radiation exposure. In particular, 5 million will be transferred from the strategic reserves of the European Union, another 500 thousand will be provided by Austria.

25 August

As a result of hostilities in the area where the Zaporizhzhya NPP is located and fires at the Zaporizhzhya TPP ash dumps, the Dniprovska PL-750 kV overhead line was disconnected twice. Three other communication lines were damaged earlier by russian shelling. As a result, ZNPP unit 5 was disconnected from the grid with the subsequent activation of the emergency protection, unit 6 was transferred to power its own needs.

At 12:29 p.m., after restoring operability of the overhead line PL-750 kV “Dniprovska”, Zaporizhzhya NPP unit 6 was connected to the grid, but already at 2:14 p.m., the overhead line PL-750 kV “Dniprovska” was disconnected again, as a result of which unit 6 was disconnected again from the grid with the subsequent tripping of the emergency protection.

Thus, the actions of the invaders caused the ZNPP to be completely disconnected from the power grid for the first time in the plant’s history. The NPP’s own needs for power supply are currently provided from the energy system of Ukraine through the communication line of the ZNPP – Zaporizhzhya TPP. There are currently no remarks on operation of automation and safety systems. Start-up operations are underway to connect one of the power units to the grid.

23 August

To raise clouds of radioactive dust, the occupiers are shelling the ash dumps of the Zaporizhzhya TPP, the place where ash is stored, which is generated during the operation of thermal power plants. This waste has a high concentration of toxic substances and a radiation level that is at least 2.5 times higher than the natural background. When drying, they form dust that can move over considerable distances. As a result of mortar strikes on ash pits, clouds of dust are formed, which are blown by the wind in the vicinity of Enerhodar. Monitoring of the radiation background, which is carried out near the NPP, indicates an increase in the radiation level.

22 August

The russian occupiers additionally brought two armored personnel carriers and six special trucks to the Zaporizhzhya NPP repair zone. In total, there are more than 40 units of military equipment on the plant territory, in particular, 16 military vehicles are located near unit 1, and 7 close to unit 1. Another 12 units of equipment are located under the overpass.

At 2:33 p.m., the occupying forces of the russian federation shelled the Zaporizhzhya TPP, as a result of which RTSN-5;6 (reserve transformers of own needs) were damaged and the communication line between the Zaporizhzhya NPP and the Zaporizhzhya TPP (VL-330) was disconnected. At 6:33 p.m., the Zaporizhzhya NPP – Zaporizhzhya TPP line (VL-330) was restored.

20 August

Russian occupiers committed the missile strike at the city of Voznesensk, located near the Pivdennoukrainska nuclear power plant, where the missile debris were discovered. The very fact of the shelling of the observation area of the Pivdennoukrainska NPP is another cynical act of russian nuclear terrorism.

The russian occupiers once again shelled the Zaporizhzhya NPP, as a result of which one of the transitional galleries, through which the personnel go from the special buildings to the power units (overpass), was damaged, and the windows in the building were broken.

On August 19-20, 2022, an inspection by the International Atomic Energy Agency took place at the Rivne NPP in the framework of the Agreement between Ukraine and the IAEA on the application of safeguards in connection with the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. Purpose of the inspection was to verify the absence of undeclared nuclear material.

19 August

At 00:15, the russian occupiers fired in the direction of the training center of the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant. It was registered that the shelling was carried out from two place: the bus station and the discharge channel: in the first case it took 1.5 seconds for a strike, and in the second, the strike sound was heard three seconds later.

18 August

The SNRIU introduced changes to the operating licenses of power units 1 and 2 of Zaporizhzhya NPP. The corresponding Order No. 501 of August 18, 2022 was signed by Oleh Korikov, the Acting SNRIU Chairman – Chief State Inspector for Nuclear and Radiation Safety of Ukraine. According to the Order, operation of unit 1 of the Zaporizhzhya NPP is carried out by the operating organization in the states of “fuel reloading” – “cold shutdown”. The Order also specifies that the operation of the Zaporizhzhya NPP unit 2 is carried out in a “cold shutdown” state. The basis for introducing changes was the application of the NNEGC “Energoatom” and the documents submitted with it, as well as the Resolution of the SNRIU Board of August 4, 2022 “On the Current Safety State of the Zaporizhzhya NPP power units under the Conditions of Occupation by the russian federation Military”.

14 August

From 3:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., the russian occupiers shelled the city of Enerhodar more than 6 times, as a result of which an employee of the Zaporizhzhya NPP died.

The IAEA has published a note verbale dated August 12, 2022 of the Delegation of the European Union to international organizations in Vienna and a Joint Statement on behalf of the IAEA member countries regarding the situation at the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant. The IAEA member countries call on the russian federation to immediately withdraw its military forces and all other unauthorized personnel from the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, its immediate surroundings and all of Ukraine, so that the operator and the Ukrainian authorities can resume their sovereign responsibilities in the framework of Ukraine’s international policy, recognized borders and legitimate operational personnel of the ZNPP could perform their duties without outside interference, threats or unacceptably difficult working conditions.

11 August

Five “strikes” were registered in the area of ​​the ZNPP command post, next to the welding area and the radiation sources storage facility.

For the third time today, the russian military shelled the area of ​​the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, namely the fire unit, located outside the ZNPP territory and designed to protect it from fires and extinguish them in case of emergency situations at the plant. As a result of the plant shelling, it was not possible to rotate the personnel in time, because for the safety of the employees, the buses with the next shift personnel were turned back to Enerhodar. Until the situation finally stabilizes, the employees of the previous shift will continue working.

The SNRIU Licensing Commission has resumed the validity of the licenses of the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant for the right to carry out activities related to the decommissioning of Chornobyl NPP units 1, 2 and 3, operation of the confinement complex and the Shelter, processing and storage of radioactive waste (RW), as well as the validity of the licenses of the Central Enterprise for the Radioactive Waste Management to conduct activities at the stages of the construction and operation of radioactive waste disposal facilities at the Vektor production complex, for operation of radioactive waste storage facilities of Chornobyl origin in the Exclusion Zone territory, as well as RAW processing and storage.

6 August

As of 08:00, the Zaporizhzhya NPP is operating with the risk of violating radiation and fire safety standards.

The russian invaders probably mined the Zaporizhzhya NPP. This opinion was expressed by The Insider publication, which states that the russian military mined the turbine hall of one of the ZNPP power units. According to another information source, the territory around the ZNPP was mined. In addition, multiple rocket launch system batteries are deployed near the village of Vodyane, the closest one to the ZNPP. Moreover, russian soldiers store mines and ammunition in the immediate vicinity of power units, under overpasses, and part of the ammunition is stored inside the power unit.

In the evening, the russian occupiers once again fired missiles at the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant site and the city of Enerhodar. They hit the ZNPP site directly next to the plant’s dry spent nuclear fuel storage facility. Apparently, they aimed specifically at the SNF containers, which are stored in the open air near the places of shelling. 174 containers, each of which contains 24 spent nuclear fuel assemblies! Three radiation monitoring sensors around the ZNPP site were damaged due to enemy missile attacks. Therefore, timely detection and response in case of deterioration of the radiation situation or leakage of radiation from spent nuclear fuel containers is currently impossible. About 800 square meters of windows surface were damaged due to numerous small fragments from the explosions in various NPP buildings. As a result of the explosions, one ZNPP employee received a shrapnel wound, and was taken to the city hospital. All russian military personnel, constituting up to 500 persons are deployed at the ZNPP site since the day of its seizure, as well as personnel of the terrorist rosatom, hid are hiding in the bunkers of the plant’s crisis center and technical support center.

5 August

As a result of shelling by the russian occupiers, at 2:30 p.m., three “strikes” were registered near the ZNPP industrial site. The enemy hit the 330 kV high-voltage communication line of the ZNPP – Zaporizhzhya TPP autotransformer. As a result, it was damaged, emergency protection was actuated at one of the power units, diesel generators were switched on. Currently, this unit is unloaded and disconnected from the power grid.

Military terrorists from the russian federation fired Enerhodar with multiple rocket launch systems and are creating a humanitarian disaster in the Zaporizhzhia NPP satellite city. The invaders bombed the “Luch” power station, as a result of which almost the entire city (6 out of 7 microdistricts) was left without electricity. The water intake station is also out of operation, there is no water in the city.

In the evening, russian terrorists shelled the Zaporizhzhya NPP for the second time with multiple rocket launch systems. Three “hits” were recorded right on the NPP site, near one of the power units where the nuclear reactor is located. The russian terrorists damaged the nitrogen-oxygen station and the joint auxiliary building. There are risks of hydrogen leakage and release of radioactive substances. The fire hazard is high.

3 August

Condemning russia’s unjustified invasion of Ukraine, including russian aggression at or near nuclear facilities, Canada has allocated $1 million to the IAEA to strengthen safety and protection at Ukrainian nuclear facilities and $5 million to the U.S. Department of State to support Ukraine in detecting and responding to illegal nuclear transportations on its territory”.

21 July 

At least 14 units of heavy military equipment with ammunition, weapons, and explosives were placed by the russian military in the ZNPP-1 turbine hall close to the equipment that ensures the operation of the turbogenerator, namely near the main oil tank, which contains flammable oil that cools the steam turbine. There is also explosive hydrogen, which is used to cool the generator. The military equipment of the invaders made it impossible to access the unit 1 turbine hall for specialized fire-fighting vehicles, which increases the risk of a fire. 

18 July 

At the ZNPP, the russian occupiers kidnapped Serhii Pykhtin, the Deputy Head of the decontamination shop for operation and radioactive waste management, and Elena Ryabtseva, the decontamination shop engineer. In addition, they forcibly took the ID passes and entered the radiation zone of the ZNPP -2, thereby violating the established norms of staying in this zone and exposing the personnel to the risk of radiation contamination. Additionally, the sane day, the russian occupiers “appropriated” the ZNPP educational and training center and, threatening the NPP personnel with weapons, seized the cafeteria. 

17 July 

The russian occupiers continue to kidnaping nuclear power plant personnel at the temporarily occupied ZNPP. In particular, Ihor Kvashnin, the Head of the ZNPP Environmental Protection Service, was kidnapped. 

14 July 

The first phase of the radiation survey of the de-occupied territories of Kyiv region has been completed. During the survey missions on 12 and 14July, SSTC NRS specialists, as part of the crew of the RanidSONNI mobile radiological laboratory, carried out a survey in the Bucha town territory (northern part), Vorzel, the village of Gostomel (residential quarter Pokrovskyi) and the villages of Ozera and Moschun, as well as the Ivankiv territorial community (the villages of Ivankiv, Babyntsi, Rudnya-Shpilivska, Shpyli, Bilyy Bereg, Rozvazhniv, Stanyshivka, Sukachi). The radiation survey route took into account the information on the places where radioactive contamination could be detected, received from local residents. 

13 July 

In the no-fly zone in the Enerhodar city at 10 o’clock in the morning, a flight of a russian assault helicopter Ka-52 was recorded, which dropped an unidentified cylindrical object on one of the buildings of the training center located in front of the ZNPP industrial site. 

Australia and France provided assistance to Ukraine in the framework of the IAEA Response and Assistance Network (RANET) in accordance with the provisions of the Convention on Assistance in the Event of a Nuclear Accident or Radiological Emergency. In particular, a humanitarian cargo with personal protective equipment, dosimetric and radiometric devices was received. 

11 July 

An inspection by the International Atomic Energy Agency was conducted at the Rivne NPP in the framework of the Agreement between Ukraine and the IAEA in connection with the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. 

10 July 

A provocation with the participation of the russian mass media took place at the temporarily occupied ZNPP. The plant management was forced to permit access to a well-known russian propagandist blogger with a representative of Rosatom and accompanied by armed russian military personnel to the MCR of one of the NPP power units and to other premises with restricted access. 

7 July 

Starting from 27June, the SSTC NRS specialists, as part of the crew of the RanidSONNI mobile radiological laboratory, conducted a number of survey missions to the cities of Bucha and Irpin, the village of Gostomel, the villages of Ozera and Blystavitsa. During this period, 63 apartments, 68 private estates and outbuildings, 120 km of roads and streets, 20 parks and squares, about 300 household and of military purpose items were inspected. The radiation survey route took into account the information received from local residents on the places where radioactive contamination could be detected. 

6 July 

Chornobyl NPP has received confirmation of its official transfer to the Paris Center of the World Organization of Nuclear Power Plant Operators. Before that, from the moment the organization was founded in 1989, the ChNPP was affiliated to the Moscow Regional Center. 

1 July 

The lost connection between the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant and the IAEA was restored through the Energoatom efforts. 

27 June 

An IAEA inspection was conducted at the Pivdennoukrainska NPP in the framework of the Agreement between Ukraine and the IAEA on the application of safeguards in connection with the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, and complementary access by Agency inspectors in accordance with the requirements of Article 4.b.(ii) of the Additional Protocol to the Agreement. 

26 June 

At 6.00 a.m., a russian cruise missile flew critically low over the Pivdennoukrainsk NPP. It flew from South to North of Ukraine. Probably, this missile was fired in the direction of Kyiv where explosions were heard early in the morning. 

 25 June 

The Kharkiv Nuclear Subcritical Installation ‘Neutron Source’ was damaged as a result of missile attack on Kharkiv. The north wall of the accelerator building attached to the experimental hall, ventilation channels of the active ventilation system, main building vent stack, klystron gallery cooling system, housings of diesel generators of the emergency power supply system, and main building coating were damaged. Personnel continue to inspect the Neutron Source buildings, structures and equipment for any damage, but new attacks prevent from performing the inspection. 

 24 June 

The invaders in Energodar are trying to strengthen their fighting positions and fire trenches arranged near the occupied Zaporizhzhya NPP. In particular, they built fortifications. Also, near the village of Michurin they located a multiple launch rocket system. Obviously, they prepare for hostilities near the nuclear power plant. 

The State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine terminates international agreements on cooperation in the field of nuclear safety. In particular: Agreement between the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Nuclear Safety of Ukraine and Federal Nuclear and Radiation Safety Supervision Service of russia (signed in Vienna on 19 September 1996) and Agreement between the State Nuclear Regulatory Committee of Ukraine and Federal Nuclear and Radiation Safety Supervision Service of russia on exchange of information and cooperation in the field of safety regulation for the peaceful use of nuclear energy (signed in Moscow on 14 August 2002).  

General Andrey Guruliov, State Duma Deputy, said on the first channel of russian TV that London would be the first city attacked by the russian army in case the Kaliningrad blockade would lead to the outbreak of World War III. 

22 June 

At the first meeting of the parties to the U.N. Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, the Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui and the Nagasaki Mayor Tomihisa Taue appealed to the World to refuse from nuclear weapons against russian threats to use them in the war against Ukraine. 

18 June 

CERN condemned russian invasion to Ukraine once again and said that it would not prolong the agreements with russia and Belarus after their expiration in 2024. 

15 June 

One of the invaders with the Volga code name told ZNPP employees that ZNPP would be completely controlled by russia and, accordingly, Rosatom from 1 September 2022. 

SSTC NRS specialists carried out a radiation survey of the de-occupied territories along the route from the village Ivankiv to checkpoint “Dytyatki”. The radiation survey was conducted along the route: Ivankiv village – approach road to the Chornobyl NPP/Dityatki checkpoint (Sukachi village – Hocheva village – Orane village – Dityatki checkpoint) – village Sukachi (Lenin St. – Shevchenko St.), Ivankiv village (Ivana Proskura St. – Kyivska St.). Additional radiation surveys of the former deployment of the military equipment of the occupation forces of the russian federation, the remains of the military equipment of the occupation forces of the russian federation were carried out. During the survey, special attention was paid to remains of military equipment left after the occupation of these territories. 

14 June

The radiation survey by the SSTC NRS specialists of the de-occupied territories of Kyiv Region has started. In particular, a radiation survey was carried out along the route: Kyiv (35-37 Vasylya Stusa St. (SSTC NRS Headquarters) – Akademika Palladin Avenue – Velyka Kiltseva Doroga) – Highway P69 – Highway P02 (Novi Petrivtsi village – Stari Petrivtsi village – Lyutizh village – Demydiv village – Dymer village – Katyuzhanka village – Fenevichi village – Rudnya-Shpylivska village – Ivankiv village). The survey was carried out with the aim of detecting radioactively contaminated items, calibration sources and other radioactive materials that could be taken out of the Exclusion Zone territory by soldiers of the russian army during the occupation, as well as to detect radioactive contamination that could have been transferred by the occupiers outside the Exclusion Zone borders as a result of violation of the radiation safety regime. 

10 June 

As a result of joint efforts of Energoatom and Vodafone mobile operator, the connection between ZNPP servers for nuclear material control and IAEA was restored. The connection was lost on 30 May 2022, when russian invaders cut off Vodafone in Energodar. Nevertheless, the data for this period were stored on secure ZNPP servers and were transmitted to the IAEA after the connection was restored.  

8 June

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea has announced financial assistance in the amount of $ 1.2 million to ensure the safety of Ukraine’s nuclear facilities. The assistance will be used to support expert missions or purchase the necessary equipment and materials through the IAEA to ensure the safety of nuclear power plants, radioactive waste management and the implementation of protection measures in Ukraine.

In the temporarily occupied Enerhodar, racist occupiers continue to kidnap people. In the last week alone, they have detained and taken away about 20 Enerhodar citizens in an unknown direction, 11 of them are employees of the Zaporizhzhya NPP. Their location is currently unknown.

5 June

At 5:30 a.m., a Russian cruise missile, similar to the Caliber missile, flew critically low over the Pivdennoukrainska nuclear power plant. By such actions, the occupiers again commit nuclear terrorism acts. Probably, this missile was fired in the direction of Kyiv, where explosions were heard in the morning.

On the air of his author’s program, Russian propagandist Vladimir Solovyov once again threatened the world with a nuclear war with Russia, which would result in the destruction of all living beings.

3 June

Zaporizhzhya NPP and the Enerhodar city are still seized and controlled by the Russian military, but all ZNPP units are operated by Ukrainian personnel and work for Ukraine. The rotation of employees takes place. Formally, the occupiers do not interfere in the plant operation, but the personnel is forced to coordinate all technical decisions with their military commander. Nuclear and radiation safety continue to be threatened.

1 June

The russian Defense Ministry announced that it was conducting exercises using autonomous launchers of Yars strategic missile systems. About a thousand military servicemen and more than 100 units of equipment were involved in the exercises. The servicemen have to master issues of bringing missile systems to field positions, marching up to 100 km, organizing camouflage and performing other tasks.

31 May

The IAEA’s mission to nuclear power facilities in the Exclusion Zone has started to assess their ability to function safely after the liberation from Russian invaders. The mission will check the availability of relevant technical experts specializing in safety of nuclear materials, radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel. In particular, at the Chornobyl NPP, IAEA inspectors will check the absence of undeclared nuclear material in accordance with the Agreement on the Application of Safeguards in Relation to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.

30 May

In the Exclusion Zone, work is underway to extinguish forest litter and individual fires in Dytyatkivsky, Opachytsky and Kotovsky forestries. In Opachytsky forestry, the fire is being extinguished on the area of 65 hectares, the liquidation area constitutes 85 hectares. In Kotovsky forestry, about 200 hectares were affected by fires. Fire protection is prohibited in Kotovsky Forestry due to mined territories. There is no threat of fire spreading. The radiation situation is under control.

IAEA inspectors inspected the Rivne Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP) for the absence of undeclared nuclear material.

28 May

Zaporizhzhya NPP continues to remain under occupation, under pressure and control by the russian military of about 500 occupiers, as well as a large number of military vehicles and explosives.

26 May

Demining engineers of the National Police of Ukraine investigating the Exclusion Zone have detected demining explosives hidden by russian invaders. From outside they look like hoses, but are filled with plastids. They are scattered around the perimeter and blown up with a detonator. And if there are mines or shells nearby, everything explodes.

25 May

Activists of the European environmental organization RePlanet held a campaign as part of the #switchoffputin campaign at the cooling tower of the German Gronde nuclear power plant, which was closed earlier this year. RePlanet calls for an end to the war and at the same time to restore Germany’s nuclear energy.

23 May

The russian occupiers broke into the apartment of Sergei Shvets, an employee of the Zaporizhzhya NPP energy repair unit, and shot him with assault guns. The state of the employee remains extremely heavy.

22 May

An explosion occurred in russian-occupied Enerhodar, injuring Andriy Shevchyk, the self-proclaimed head of Energodar’s People’s Administration, and two of its bodyguards.

19 May

Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi said that Japan would allocate 2 million euros to the IAEA to support the safety of Ukrainian nuclear facilities attacked by Russia.

18 May

Around 2 am, the fire was contained prevented from spreading to the village of Strakholissya. The level of smoke in the surrounding areas remained high, in some places there was decay of forest litter and trees.

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Marat Husnullin has stated his readiness to sell electricity from the russia-controlled Zaporizhzhya NPP to Ukraine. According to him, he announced plans that the Ukrainian nuclear power plant “will work for russia”.

17 May

Fires broke out near the village of Opachychi. During the daytime, the fire quickly spread through the territory CEZ B and posed a threat to settlements bordering the Exclusion Zone. In addition, explosive devices left by the occupiers were detonated as a result of the fire.

IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi announced a new expert mission to the Chornobyl nuclear power plant in the coming weeks.

16 May

The Chornobyl NPP successfully conducted the first emergency exercises after the liberation of the NPP site from the russian occupation forces, which aimed to check the readiness of Chornobyl personnel for emergencies, taking into account the state of Chornobyl NPP after the occupation and the number of personnel on the site. In addition, the objective was to master the practical actions of the Chornobyl operational personnel, as well as cooperation during the fire at the facility with the fire rescue unit and military unit 3041 of the National Guards of Ukraine.

According to the Zaporizhzhya Regional Military Administration, the occupiers were instructed to prepare Enerhodar for a so-called “referendum” to finally join the Zaporizhzhya NPP to rosatom to ruin Ukraine’s energy system.

12 May

Remote data transmission on safeguards from the Chornobyl nuclear power plant has been restored. This has been achieved through the deployment of new transmission channels based on satellite technology and technical solutions.

11 May

Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant its a satellite city Enerhodar continue living and working in the occupation, under the control and pressure of russian military.

9 May

At the Chornobyl NPP, the control of chemical indicators of the ISF-1 water chemistry has been completely restored, the reason for the suspension was the occupation of the Chornobyl industrial site by russian troops.

7 May

A fire extinguisher charging station has resumed operation at the Chornobyl NPP. This was announced by the Head of the repair and mechanical shop Volodymyr Khmil. The facility is located in a building that was occupied and looted by russian troops during the Chornobyl occupation. According to the Head, resulting from the stay of the occupiers in the building, much equipment of the shop was stolen or damaged.

5 May

The inspection of the Chornobyl NPP territory for the presence of mining has been completed. For several days, explosive devices were detected at the Chornobyl site. Soldiers of the National Guards of Ukraine with the involvement of specialists in radiochemical protection of the SES of Ukraine were engaged in the inspection.

The Kyiv City State Administration has announced a forest fire near the village of Dytyatky in the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone (CEZ). Firefighters of the State Emergency Service and pyrotechnics are working on the spot, special equipment is involved. Rescuers from the State Emergency Service blew up in the woods, the cabin of the fire truck was blown up, and two people were hospitalized. Another 5 mines were detected and neutralized near the detonation site. 

An IL-80 aircraft, an air command post of the russian leader in case of a nuclear emergency, was registered over moscow, so russia continues to threaten the use of nuclear weapons. 

According to NNEGC “Energoatom”, the occupiers forcibly seized a special ZNPP vehicle on the territory of the Zaporizhzhya NPP machinery park, which is then used for gluing billboards in the city. 

May 4 

Demining teams of the National Guard of Ukraine and the State Emergency Service of Ukraine are working at the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone to detect and destroy explosive devices. CBRN Specialists were also involved in the demining. 

May 3 

At the Chornobyl NPP, the operation of individual dosimetric monitoring of Chornobyl personnel has been completely resumed. This was announced by the head of the Chornobyl radiation safety department Leonid Yakovenko. 

May 2 

After the occupation, Chornobyl NPP resumed dust suppression activities. On May 1 and 2, the Shelter Operations Department and the new Safe Confinement successfully completed dust suppression activities to reduce the spread of radioactive substances in the Shelter’s roof space. 

According to the Politico periodical, the EU is considering a ban on russia’s import of nuclear fuel for nuclear power plants and the cessation of cooperation with rosatom to overcome energy dependence on russia. The EU currently imports the uranium needed for nuclear reactors, including 20% ​​from russia, making it the second largest supplier after Niger. 

May 1 

The Prosecutor General’s Office of Ukraine has started the process of prosecuting the seizure of the Chornobyl nuclear power plant. 

April 30 

A reliable power supply scheme in the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone has been restored. The last required 330 kV transmission line was put into operation. 

April 29 

Zaporizhzhya NPP continues to remain under the control of russian occupation forces. In particular, 8 nuclear engineers were delegated to the Ukrainian nuclear power plant by rosenergoatom (a rosatom’s subsidiary), which demanded confidential information from the ZNPP management on the operation of the NPP, namely: administration and management, maintenance and repair, safety and nuclear fuel management, spent nuclear fuel and Radwaste management. 

On russia 1, putin’s propagandists olga skabeeva and state duma deputy oleksiy zhuravlov from the LDPR faction openly threatened a nuclear strike on three countries that supply weapons to Ukraine: UK, Germany and France. They demonstrated a picture with the caption “approaching time of RS-28 “Sarmat” missiles to the capitals of the countries supplying Ukraine the most weapons”, according to which the flight time of Sarmat from Kaliningrad to Berlin is 106 seconds, to Paris: 200 seconds, to London: 202 seconds. 

April 28 

The Khmelnytskyi NPP was inspected by the International Atomic Energy Agency under the Agreement between Ukraine and the IAEA in connection with the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. 

April 27 

The Pivdennoukrainska NPP was inspected by the International Atomic Energy Agency under the Agreement between Ukraine and the IAEA in connection with the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. 

Inspectors of the IAEA and the SNRIU conducted an inventory of nuclear material at the Chornobyl facilities. In addition, the IAEA’s remote monitoring system resumed its operation with the support of the Agency’s technical specialists. 

26 April  

At 6:41 and 6:46, two enemy cruise missiles flew at low altitude over the ZNPP site in the direction of Zaporizhzhya, where explosions caused by russian cruise missiles were subsequently recorded. This threatens the whole world with a nuclear and radiation catastrophe. 

IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi arrived in Ukraine leading the IAEA expert mission for radiological monitoring and other expert assessments at ChNPP after five weeks of russian occupation. According to the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine, IAEA provided various types of radiation monitoring equipment, including radionuclide identification devices and gamma dose rate meters, personal protective equipment at ChNPP, etc. 

The State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine has decided to suspend a number of licenses that actually suspend the decommissioning of Units 1, 2 and 3, the operation of Radwaste management facilities and certain activities in the field of nuclear energy use. According to the SNRIU, after a long-term occupation by the Russian troops, the Chornobyl NPP is unable to comply with the conditions of the above-mentioned activities established by the rules and standards on nuclear and radiation safety. The management of the Chornobyl NPP believes that the decision destabilizes the company’s activity, and hopes that the licenses will be renewed after providing justifications confirming the absence of violations. 

25 April  

At 8:10, a new threat to the nuclear security of Ukraine and the world occurred. Above the cooling pool of the Khmelnytsky NPP, two cruise missiles fired by the russian military were recorded, probably in the direction of Rivne or Zdolbuniv. 

The State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine issued an individual permit for the commissioning of the Centralized Spent Fuel Storage Facility that was expected on March 9, but was delayed due to the russian aggression and presence of occupation troops in the Chornobyl exclusion zone. 

In an interview with the russian First Channel, russian Foreign Minister serhii lavrov spoke about the reality of the risk of a nuclear war. 

24 April  

ZNPP and Enerhodar are still captured and controlled by the russian military, but all ZNPP power units are maintained by Ukrainian personnel and operated for the needs of Ukraine. The rotation of workers is provided.  

20 April  

ZNPP is still under the control of the russian occupation forces, and rosatom representatives still stay at ZNPP. They informed the ZNPP management and employees about their intentions to include the Ukrainian NPP in the structure of rosatom. Its representatives have already started monitoring technological and management processes at ZNPP. 

19 April  

The ChNPP maintenance personnel restored the direct telephone connection of the NPP site with the duty officer of the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine. 

16 April  

Three cruise missiles, probably fired from the territory of Belarus in the direction of Mykolaiiv, flew over the South Ukraine NPP site. One of them was recorded by the SUNPP surveillance cameras. The threat of falling into a nuclear reactor with possible consequences – a nuclear accident, was high. 

After power supply restoration, checks of equipment and devices, the Centralized Spent Fuel Storage Facility (CSFSF) is ready for work in the exclusion zone!   

14 April  

Dmytro medvediev, Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of Russia, said that if Sweden and Finland join NATO, Russia will move nuclear weapons to the Baltics. 

13 April  

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) suspends russia’s membership in the Nuclear Energy Agency since 11 May, which it acquired in 2013.  

12 April  

All russian soldiers, who dug in the Red Forest received lethal exposure doses. This was reported by Doctor of Technical Sciences, Leading Researcher of the Department of Thermochemical Processes and Nanotechnologies of the Institute of Gas of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kostiantyn Simeyko: “Digging trenches, the invaders raised a layer of soil containing particles with high radiation. We are talking about radioactive isotopes of cesium, carbon, uranium and other elements that have been deposited on the ground for decades after the ChNPP accident”

10 April  

During the russian occupation, the Centralized Spent Nuclear Fuel Storage Facility (CSFSF) was not damaged, and measures are being taken to prepare for fuel acceptance immediately after the end of martial law.  

9 April  

The second rotation of personnel since the beginning of ChNPP occupation took place, within which 51 employees returned to Slavutych: 40 employees who agreed to go to the occupied NPP for rotation on 20 March, and 11 employees who worked at the NPP since 23 February. As of April 9, there are no people at the ChNPP who were at the NPP during its capture 

8 April  

The ChNPP personnel continue to perform their assigned tasks and assess the scope of damage caused by the occupying forces of the russian federation. In particular, radiological survey of the NPP site is underway. The occupiers completely neglected the rules of radiation safety, which led to radiation contamination of the ChNPP office and industrial premises. 

The State Agency of Ukraine on Exclusion Zone Management reports that the russian troops completely looted and destroyed the automated radiation monitoring system of the exclusion zone. The offices and laboratory of the Institute for Safety Problems of NPPs were looted and destroyed by the russian invaders. Computers, office equipment were taken away, laboratory equipment and measuring devices were broken or destroyed. Garages with vehicles used to transport scientists to research sites were also looted. In the laboratories of the Institute for Safety Problems of NPPs, there were radiation sources and samples of fuel-containing materials from the Shelter, which were used by scientists during studies. The location of these materials is also unknown. 

7 April  

The Energy Community has formed a Fund for Ukraine to restore the energy infrastructure destroyed by the russian war. Fund donors will be EU member states. Denmark made the first contribution. 

6 April  

The Ministry of Health of Ukraine published Order No. 585 dated 6 April 2022 “On Approval of Methodological Recommendations for Actions in Nuclear Damage Zones”, which should be applied in the event of the use of tactical and/or strategic nuclear weapons and determine preventive measures aimed at reducing the consequences of using nuclear weapons among the public. 

During the plenary meeting of the Western European Nuclear Regulators Association (WENRA), it was decided to exclude rostekhnadzor (rf) and gosatomnadzor (Republic of Belarus) from the participation in organization events. Until a separate decision is made, these institutions will not have the right to participate in WENRA activities.  

5 April  

Units of the National Guard arrived at ChNPP to protect and defense nuclear facilities, as well as provide security of nuclear materials. 

4 April  

The European Technical Safety Organizations Network (ETSON) decided to suspend cooperation with the russian STC NRS at an extraordinary meeting of full members of the ETSON Council. 

2 April  

At the ChNPP industrial site, the operating personnel ensuring nuclear and radiation safety of the ChNPP facilities raised the flag of Ukraine under the conditions of occupation.  

31 March 

Russian occupiers left ChNPP forcing ChNPP workers to sign a certificate of ChNPP acceptance. From the territory of ChNPP, the occupiers took away transfer casks, spare parts to repair NPP equipment, as well as computers, coffee makers, teapots and tableware from the hotel near the NPP. 

30 March 

In Gomel, 7 medical vehicles were identified, which arrived at the Republican Scientific and Practical Center for Radiation Medicine and Human Ecology. In particular, it is reported that the exposed russian invaders arrived from ChNPP. 

29 March 

Rosatom representatives continue to stay at the ZNPP site. ZNPP personnel and their families are under continuous psychological pressure, and cases have been registered of personnel being detained by russian occupiers for interrogation. 

IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi made a two-day diplomatic visit to Ukraine at the South Ukraine NPP, whose purpose was to negotiate on nuclear safety and security of nuclear facilities in Ukraine. 

28 March 

The neutron source was shelled once again, however, no new damage was identified. 

27 March 

Due to the russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Swedish company Vattenfall, which is one of the largest producers and sellers of electricity and heat in Europe, has refused to continue purchasing russian nuclear fuel for its nuclear power plants until further notice is made. It should be noted that the contract was signed by Vattenfall in 2016 for nuclear fuel supply for the Ringhals 3 and Ringhals 4 reactors from 2018 to 2025. 

26 March 

Russian occupiers captured Slavutych, where personnel of ChNPP, as well as facilities and enterprises located in the exclusion zone, and their families live. This forms additional moral and psychological pressure on operating personnel ensuring nuclear and radiation safety of the facilities at the ChNPP site. 

The neutron source was shelled once again and due to this, significant damage of the thermal insulating lining of the neutron source building and partial shedding of coating materials in the experimental hall of the facility was detected. 

25 March 

To deter NATO involvement in Ukraine, russian president vladimir putin could order the use of tactical nuclear weapons and strike at Poland. Former commander of the joint forces of NATO in Europe, General Wesley Clark thinks so. 

At a meeting of the members of the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), it was decided to suspend the participation of scientists of the organization in all scientific committees of institutions located on the territory of russian federation and the Republic of Belarus, and vice versa; as well as to suspend and even cancel events organized by CERN together with institutions located on the territory of russian federation and the Republic of Belarus. Moreover, the meeting participants decided to stop scientific contacts with the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research (JINR) located in Dubna, russia and suspend its observer status until further notice is made. 

23 March 

An unexploded 9K58 Smerch multiple launch rocket system was found near the neutron source, which forms a potential hazard of a new explosion. The relevant authorities have been informed about this. In addition, the personnel noted damage of windows and lining of buildings. Despite this, there is no new damage of the pumping room, cooling towers, isotope laboratory of the neutron source, as well as systems and components that affect safety. 

The russian invaders looted and destroyed the Central Analytical Laboratory in Chornobyl, in which highly active samples and samples of radionuclides were located. At the same time, an unauthorized entry into the storage facility for radiation sources took place, in which reference radioactive solutions and calibration sources were stored. The occupiers stole and damaged 133 sources with a total activity of about 7 million becquerels. The location of the stolen sources is unknown. The degree of integrity and safety of the calibration sources and reference radioactive solutions cannot be determined, and the condition of the damaged ones will be clarified after a relevant inventory and measurements. 

22 March 

Rosatom representatives have been illegally present at the ZNPP site for a long time. Due to the presence of russian occupation forces and a large number of military equipment at the ZNPP site and in satellite city Enerhodar, personnel and their families are under continuous psychological pressure. This can lead to errors in personnel work, which affect NPP safety and lead to emergencies or accidents at NPPs. 

20 March  

At ChNPP, which is under the occupation of the russian federation, a partial rotation of personnel took place. 50 employees were replaced by 46 NPP employees who volunteered to perform their official duties for proper operation of the Chornobyl facilities. 

19 March  

Since hostilities are continued in the Piatykhatky region in Kharkiv, there is still no power supply of the neutron source. 

18 March  

For 23 days in a row without rotation, the ChNPP personnel courageously and heroically perform their functions to ensure the safe operation of these facilities. It is impossible to replace personnel in combat conditions, although rotation scenarios are being actively developed.  

17 March  

Hostilities in the Piatykhatky region in Kharkiv led to damage of power supply lines, due to which the power supply of the neutron source was stopped. 

Due to the hostilities in the region and capture of the ZNPP site and nearby territories by the russian occupation forces, there is a potential threat of ZNPP de-energization. The Zaporizhzhya, South Donbass and Kakhovka 750 kV high-voltage lines were damaged, which led to the disconnection of the ZNPP autotransformer communication line (750/330 kV) with the Zaporizhzhya TPP from 14:00 to 20:00. After repair of the detected damage, the line was restored.  

16 March  

Power supply of all facilities was restored at the ChNPP site, all diesel generators that provided emergency power supply for these facilities were disconnected at 17.45. The information on ChNPP power supply from the Belarusian Mozyr 330 kV substation was disproved by the Energoatom. 

Two 750 kV high-voltage lines (Zaporizhzhya and South Donbass) are still not connected, the Kakhovka high-voltage line was disconnected at 14:29. 

15 March  

Until now, two 750 kV high-voltage lines (Zaporizhzhya and South Donbass) remain disconnected. 

For twenty days there is no rotation of the ChNPP personnel, who courageously and heroically continue to perform their functions to ensure the safe operation of the ChNPP facilities. It is impossible to replace personnel in combat conditions, although rotation scenarios are being actively developed. 

14 March  

The line energizing ChNPP and Slavutych was again damaged by occupiers after its repair by the Ukrenergo repair team.  

Russian occupation troops in close proximity to the ZNPP units detonated unexploded ordnances during the shelling of the industrial site on 4 March 2022. 

13 March  

The Ukrenergo repair team repaired the high-voltage power line energizing ChNPP and Slavutych. At 19:07, the line was energized and restoration of the power supply for ChNPP and Slavutych infrastructure has started. However, it was not possible to complete these activities, because occupiers soon damaged the line again. The Ukrenergo repair team is forced to go again to the occupied territory near ChNPP to look for and eliminate new damage. 

12 March  

According to ZNPP, there is a continuous rotation of operating and daytime personnel who monitor the state of power units and ensure their safe operation in accordance with the requirements of operational documents. The NPP automated radiation monitoring system and automated radiation monitoring system in the control area and observation area are operated in regular mode, no changes in the radiation situation at the NPP site, in the observation area and in the control area have been recorded. 

11 March  

11 representatives of the russian state atomic energy corporation rosatom arrived at the Zaporizhzhya NPP. These persons do not interfere in the operation of nuclear facilities yet, NPP management and operation is carried out exclusively by the ZNPP personnel, however, all technical solutions should be coordinated with the invaders. Ukraine did not make any request for advisory, technical or other assistance from the russian federation. The presence of these persons on the territory of ZNPP is illegal and is in no way related to nuclear and radiation safety. 

Two 750 kV high-voltage lines (Zaporizhzhya and South Donbass) have not yet been connected; measures are being taken to restore the damaged high-voltage lines. This issue is complicated by active hostilities in the places where the lines are damaged. 

10 March  

Once again, the neutron source in Kharkiv was bombed, due to which it was completely de-energized and there was surface damage of the building. The power supply of systems/components important to safety has been restored. Damage that could affect the state of nuclear and radiation safety was not identified. 

9 March  

As a result of the damage of the 750 kV ChNPP – Kyiv high-voltage line caused by invaders’ shelling, ChNPP and all nuclear facilities of the exclusion zone were de-energized. Due to the lack of power supply, there is no cooling of the spent fuel assemblies located in the spent fuel storage facility. As a result, the temperature in the spent fuel pools will increase, which causes steam generation and release of radioactive substances into the environment. Moreover, due to the de-energization, the fire extinguishing system will not work, as well as ventilation, and the NPP personnel can receive a dangerous radiation dose. Power supply restoration is impossible due to hostilities. 

8 March  

For the thirteenth day, there has been no rotation of the ChNPP personnel, who courageously and heroically continue to perform their functions to ensure the safe operation of the ChNPP facilities. Regulatory control of the state of nuclear and radiation safety at the ChNPP site and on the territory of the exclusion zone is not possible yet. 

The Council of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) suspended the participation of russia and Belarus in OECD bodies.  

7 March  

ZNPP-6 was shut down for emergency maintenance. As a result of ZNPP site shelling on 4 March and after a detailed inspection, it was detected that the oil system of the unit transformer was damaged.

6 March  

Nuclear research facility “Neutron Source” located at the site of the National Science Center “Kharkiv Institute of Physics and Technology” was bombed. Due to this, the RU-0.4 kV substation was destroyed, cooling system air conditioner cables of the klister gallery of the linear electron accelerator were damaged; the heating line to the system of buildings and structures of the neutron source was damaged, windows were broken in the building of the pump room and cooling towers, in the isotope laboratory. In some places, there was surface damage of the main facility building. 

Several sensors for monitoring the neutron flux, gamma radiation dose rate and air radiation contamination failed in the Chornobyl zone at the Shelter. Due to this, further monitoring of criticality and a number of radiation parameters in one of facility rooms is impossible. Due to the lack of a sufficient number of maintenance personnel and special equipment as a result of the occupation, the restoration of damaged equipment of systems important to nuclear and radiation safety is not carried out.  

On this day, the occupiers also staged the provision of humanitarian assistance, in particular food and cigarettes. This action was aimed at forming informational occasions for the media and was not related to the assistance of the ChNPP personnel, which have been held hostage by the russian military for almost two weeks. After the categorical and public refusal of the enterprise personnel from the “help” of the occupiers, the enemy used tricks: the military put on the NOVARKA uniform, which was available in changing rooms and they accepted the assistance with joy and gratitude. This was filmed by the russian media.  

At 16:06, the 750 kV high-voltage line was disconnected due to its damage as a result of shelling in the area of ​​the Vasylivka village, Zaporizhzhya region.  

5 March  

ZNPP operating personnel is constantly under the pressure of the armed occupiers, although, despite this, they continue to monitor the state of the power units and provide their operation.  

4 March  

The Zaporizhzhya NPP was captured. As a result of artillery shelling of the ZNPP industrial site, ZNPP-1 reactor building was damaged, two artillery shells hit the area where the Dry Spent Fuel Storage Facility Site was located. As a result of a fire caused by enemy shelling of the ZNPP industrial site, the building of the training center, which is located close to the ZNPP industrial site, was damaged. 

3 March  

The Polish Nuclear Society has issued a statement on the termination of cooperation and any official contacts with russian organizations until the end of hostilities and bringing to justice all those responsible for violating international law. 

2 March  

There has been no rotation of the operating personnel at the Chornobyl NPP for 7 days. It is impossible to replace personnel in combat conditions, although rotation scenarios are being actively developed. Control over the state of nuclear and radiation safety of nuclear installations and other facilities at the ChNPP industrial site and on the territory of the exclusion zone has been lost. 

30 km from the South Ukraine NPP, fighting continues near Voznesensk: rashist vehicles drive into the city, Voznesensk is shelled by Grad missiles. According to adviser to the Minister of Internal Affairs Anton Gerashchenko, a group of more than 20 helicopters of occupiers with paratroopers flew from the Mykolaiiv region towards Voznesensk, where the South Ukraine NPP is located. However, the Ukrainian military stopped the invaders’ offensive, and two bridges were blown up to prevent approaching of the russian military to SUNPP. 

1 March  

As a result of rocket attacks, the communication network of the Zaporizhzhya NPP was damaged. After that, the automated radiation monitoring system (ARMS) of the Zaporizhzhya NPP fully lost its operability and failed to transmit data to the International Radiation Monitoring Information System (IRMIS). ARMS repair and resumption of its work is complicated by military operations near the Zaporizhzhya NPP. 

27 February

At night, at 01:20, near the Kyiv Radon radioactive waste disposal site, a shell hit the fence. According to the Radon Corporation, as a result of the explosion, the radioactive waste disposal facilities remained undamaged. Any activities related to radioactive waste management, including transport of radioactive materials, were terminated. The radiation background is within 0.09-0.15 µSv/h, there is no surface contamination.

On the fourth day of the war against Ukraine, Putin made a statement about the transfer of the deterrent forces of the Russian army to a special mode of combat duty and ordered to put Russia’s nuclear forces on high alert. With this statement, the President of the Russian Federation considered possible to use nuclear weapons on the territory of Ukraine.

Today, four operating nuclear power plants in Ukraine are operated in regular mode and are under special control, since there are risks of their capture. Near Energodar, which is a satellite city of the Zaporizhzhya NPP, active battles continue, eyewitnesses report on numerous military equipment. Cruise and ballistic missiles were randomly fired from the territory of Belarus at Ukrainian cities, that is why the power units of the Rivne and Khmelnitsky nuclear power plants are under threat.

26 February

On this day, in order to spread fake news about the shelling of invaders in Chornobyl by the Armed Forces of Ukraine, enemy Russian troops simulated an air battle over the exclusion zone. This was reported by the State Agency of Ukraine on Exclusion Zone Management. However, it should be noted that the Ukrainian military troops are aware of the consequences and do not conduct military operations near the Chornobyl zone.

25 February

Online, the Automated Radiation Monitoring System (ARMS) recorded an increase in the radiation background of the Chornobyl exclusion zone, which was associated with disturbance of the topsoil due to the movement of heavy equipment and rise of contaminated radioactive dust into the air.

The radiation state at operating nuclear power plants and adjacent territories has not changed and is within standard values. As for the situation on the territory of the exclusion zone and zones of unconditional (mandatory) resettlement, to this day there is no access to the automated radiation monitoring system. The latest recorded data indicate that the average values ​​of the equivalent dose rate in the area of radioactive waste storage facilities (Vektor, Pidlisnyi, Stage 3 and Buryakivka) are up to 15 times higher.

24 February

At 20:00, Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal informed that all facilities of the Chornobyl nuclear power plant have been taken under the control of Russian armed groups. ChNPP workers are held hostage.

Sources:  

1. State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine
2. State Agency of Ukraine on Exclusion Zone Management 
3. State Scientific and Technical Center for Nuclear and Radiation Safety 
4. Energoatom Company  

Uatom.org Editorial Board