Statement by the Ministry of Energy of Ukraine
The enemy continues its deliberate energy terror. During the night of 20 January 2026, energy infrastructure facilities supplying power to sites in the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone were targeted in a large-scale missile and drone attack.
Thanks to the coordinated efforts of energy workers, all facilities of Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant, including the New Safe Confinement and spent nuclear fuel storage facilities, are currently supplied with electricity from Ukraine’s Integrated Power System and are operating under normal conditions. Radiation levels at the industrial site and within the Exclusion Zone do not exceed established control limits. The plant has sufficient fuel reserves and fully operational backup power sources in case of renewed attacks.
There is currently no direct threat to the population or the environment. Energy specialists and plant personnel continue to monitor the situation under enhanced safety protocols.
The Ministry of Energy of Ukraine emphasizes that such actions by the aggressor are absolutely unacceptable. They represent a blatant and cynical violation of all fundamental principles of nuclear and radiation safety. By creating risks of power outages at Chornobyl NPP facilities, the enemy threatens not only the safety of Ukraine but that of the entire European continent.
The Ministry of Energy underscores the need to convene an extraordinary meeting of the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to assess the consequences of Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy system. This was agreed upon by First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal and IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi.
For reference, on 1 October 2025, as a result of Russian shelling of energy infrastructure, Chornobyl NPP facilities experienced a temporary power outage lasting approximately three hours. At that time, the New Safe Confinement and the spent nuclear fuel storage facility were left without electricity. Power supply was restored the same evening, and radiation levels remained within control limits.
