Blackout at Chornobyl power plant lasted over three hours, Russia’s strike was deliberate – Zelenskyy

"Today, a Russian strike on one of our energy substations in Slavutych caused a blackout lasting more than three hours at the former Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant facilities," Zelenskyy's post says.

He noted that this includes a new shelter that protects the surrounding environment from the remains of the station’s fourth reactor after the 1986 explosion, as well as from radioactive debris and dust.

It is also a storage facility for spent nuclear fuel, holding 80% of all spent fuel accumulated during the plant’s operation. These are spent fuel assemblies with a total weight of over 3,250 tons.

"The Russians could not have been unaware that striking facilities in Slavutych would have such consequences for Chornobyl. And this was a deliberate strike, involving more than 20 drones – preliminary estimates indicate Russian-Iranian Shaheds," Zelenskyy emphasized.

According to him, some of these drones were shot down, but the attack was carried out specifically as a wave of drones to make the facility’s defense more difficult.

Situation at the Zaporizhzhia NPP

Zelenskyy also noted that the blackout at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant has now lasted eight days, triggered by a Russian attack in the area around the plant.

At the same time, Russia is doing absolutely nothing to fix the situation or allow Ukrainian specialists to restore external power to the plant, which under normal conditions should operate continuously.

"Russia is intentionally creating a risk of radiological incidents, taking advantage, unfortunately, of the weak stance of the IAEA and Director General Rafael Grossi, as well as the dispersed global attention," Zelenskyy noted.

According to him, "half-hearted or weak measures" will not work to fix the situation.

Zelenskyy emphasized that every day Russia drags out the war, refuses a full and reliable ceasefire, and continues striking all of Ukraine’s energy facilities, including those critical for the safety of nuclear power plants and other nuclear infrastructure, represents a global threat.

"In addition to the Chornobyl and Zaporizhzhia facilities, Ukraine has five nuclear power plants, and each of them could become a target for Russian drones and missiles," the President added.

Zelenskyy once again emphasized that Europe, the United States, the G7, and the G20 must take real action for peace and security to the fullest extent possible.

"Strong response and appropriate pressure on Russia are required to protect human life. I am grateful to everyone in the world who refuses to remain silent," the President emphasized.

Blackout at Chornobyl NPP

Earlier today, October 1, following a Russian strike on an energy facility in Slavutych, the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant went into blackout.

The Ministry of Energy reported that the enemy attack on energy infrastructure in Slavutych, Kyiv region, caused an emergency situation at the facilities of the State Specialized Enterprise Chornobyl NPP.

Due to voltage surges, the New Safe Confinement—a key structure that isolates the destroyed fourth reactor of Chornobyl and prevents the release of radioactive materials into the environment—was left without power.