Russia says Ukrainian forces struck diesel-fuel trucks supplying the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, killing two Russian servicemen. The allegation is unverified. The vulnerability it exposes is not.
Rosatom chief Alexei Likhachev said the strikes occurred close to the perimeter of the Russian-held nuclear plant on Friday.
Reuters reported no independent verification of the allegation and no Ukrainian response.
The significance lies in what the trucks were reportedly carrying.
Zaporizhzhia has repeatedly lost external electricity during the war.
Most recently, the plant spent nearly three weeks without either of its external power connections, making emergency diesel generators critical for maintaining essential cooling.
The IAEA subsequently brokered a local ceasefire so damaged power lines could be repaired.
A NUCLEAR PLANT DEPENDENT ON A BATTLEFIELD
Zaporizhzhia is Europe’s largest nuclear power station.
Its reactors are shut down, but nuclear fuel still requires cooling and other safety systems still require electricity.
External power is the first line.
Diesel generators are the backup.
Diesel generators need fuel.
That leaves fuel deliveries themselves exposed to a war being fought around the plant.
Russia and Ukraine have repeatedly accused one another of military activity threatening Zaporizhzhia.
Those accusations matter.
The more fundamental problem exists regardless of which side is responsible for Friday’s incident.
A nuclear plant should never reach the point where safety depends on whether diesel trucks can cross a battlefield.
Sources
Reuters: Russian nuclear chief says Ukraine attacked fuel trucks near Zaporizhzhia
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