### Greenpeace Urges IAEA Monitoring Amid Rising Risk to Ukrainian Nuclear Plants

Greenpeace has raised alarms about the increasing risk of catastrophic failure in Ukraine's power network following a missile and drone assault by Russia on Sunday. This attack has heightened concerns over the safety of Ukraine's three operational nuclear power stations.

According to a briefing note from Greenpeace reported by The Guardian, the recent strikes by Moscow targeted electricity substations that are vital for the functionality of Ukraine's nuclear plants. Shaun Burnie, a nuclear expert at Greenpeace Ukraine, emphasized that Russia's strategy is precarious. "Russia is using the threat of a nuclear disaster as a major military lever to defeat Ukraine. But by undertaking the attacks, Russia is risking a nuclear catastrophe in Europe, comparable to Fukushima in 2011, Chornobyl in 1986 or even worse," he warned.

Greenpeace has called for immediate cessation of Russia's attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure. Additionally, the organization has urged the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to station permanent monitors at crucial substations linked to Ukraine’s nuclear facilities. Though Greenpeace operates independently, it is in communication with Ukraine's government. Ukrainian officials have acknowledged the accuracy of Greenpeace's technical assessments.

Sunday night's extensive missile and drone barrage targeted Ukraine's electricity generation and transmission infrastructure. This onslaught prompted Ukrenergo, the primary electricity supplier, to implement nationwide rationing to stabilize the grid. Explosions reverberated throughout cities such as Kyiv, Odesa, Mykolaiv, Kryvyi Rih, Pavlohrad, Vinnytsia, Rivne, and Ivano-Frankivsk. Explosions were also detected near Ukraine's border with Moldova, affecting connections to Europe.

While the attacks did not directly hit Ukraine’s functional nuclear power plants at Rivne, Khmelnytskyi, and the South Ukraine plant, Greenpeace contends that Russia aimed to increase the operational stress on these plants by targeting their linked substations. These three sites are pivotal, generating about two-thirds of Ukraine's electricity since many of the country’s coal and oil-fired plants were previously decimated by Russian attacks, with some hydro facilities also sustaining damage.

In the event of a complete power loss, Ukraine's nuclear reactors are equipped with diesel generators and batteries to provide essential power for seven to ten days. However, Greenpeace cautions that if fuel supplies cannot be replenished or the power grid restored, the situation could escalate into a nuclear disaster.