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The ongoing Russia-Ukraine war has brought the world dangerously close to a nuclear catastrophe, with multiple incidents at nuclear power plants raising fears of a disaster potentially “worse than Chernobyl.”
The most recent incident occurred on August 24, when Russian officials reported a Ukrainian drone attack sparked a fire at a nuclear power plant in Russia’s Kursk region. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed that a transformer caught fire due to military activity, though radiation levels remained normal.
Nuclear security experts emphasize the critical difference between attacking power transformers versus reactor vessels. Joseph Rodgers from the Center for Strategic and International Studies explains that while the Kursk attack hit a transformer—which distributes power from the reactor to homes—an assault on the reactor vessel itself could trigger a catastrophe surpassing Chernobyl. The Kursk facility, which operates two reactors, reduced its power output by half following the incident.
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi has been closely monitoring the situation, leading inspection delegations to assess risks. The agency maintains permanent safety teams at nuclear facilities across the war zone, recognizing the unprecedented nature of active combat near operational nuclear plants.
The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine, Europe’s largest nuclear facility, represents another major concern. Russian forces seized control of the plant early in the war, and it has remained in cold shutdown since spring 2024 due to ongoing clashes. Recent strikes damaged power lines around the facility, and the IAEA has been denied access to a newly constructed dam designed to secure cooling water supplies — a critical safety component.
Even the infamous Chernobyl site hasn’t escaped the conflict. In February, a drone struck the New Safe Confinement structure built to contain radioactive remains from the 1986 disaster, though radiation levels remained stable despite some structural damage.
International law technically prohibits attacks on civilian nuclear facilities under the Geneva Conventions, as nuclear power plants are classified as civilian objects protected from direct military action. However, these protections are clearly being tested in the current conflict.
The war is prompting a fundamental reassessment of nuclear safety protocols. The IAEA, under Mr. Grossi’s leadership, is developing new protection standards and safety measures specifically designed for nuclear facilities operating in active war zones—a scenario that hadn’t required serious consideration since the Cold War era.
Read more: Worse than Chernobyl? Russia-Ukraine war sparks fear of nuclear power plant catastrophe
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