Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant Offline Six Days Under Russian Control Amid Power Cut Dispute

The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in Russian-occupied southeastern Ukraine has been without connection to Ukraine's power grid for six days, relying solely on backup diesel generators to cool its reactors, raising serious safety concerns. The external power outage is the longest since the war began, with Russia and Ukraine blaming each other for the damage; Ukraine accuses Russia of manufacturing the crisis to justify linking the plant to Russia's power system, which experts warn could shift future peace talks. Ukrainian officials and nuclear safety experts emphasize the importance of preventing the plant from being integrated into Russia's grid, urging international intervention such as IAEA technical management to mitigate risks. The plant's precarious situation is compounded by wartime stress, intimidation of staff, and infrastructure damage, with fears that loss of power could lead to severe nuclear safety incidents affecting Ukraine and Europe. Meanwhile, Ukraine has intensified its strategy of hitting Russian infrastructure, exemplified by a missile strike on the Belgorod Thermal Power Station, causing widespread blackouts and signaling a symmetrical response to Russia's attacks on Ukrainian energy systems. This escalation underscores the broader conflict's impact on civilian infrastructure and the political stakes of maintaining power and heating supply in Russian border cities.