Rosatom chief says Ukrainian shelling of Zaporizhzhia thermal plant threatens nuclear safety

On October 5, 2026, Alexey Likhachev, head of Russia's Rosatom, stated that Ukrainian forces have been shelling the Zaporizhzhia thermal power plant in Enerhodar, Ukraine, for two weeks. This plant is crucial for the safety of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, as it houses equipment that redirects power to the nuclear facility. A transformer was damaged, forcing critical safety systems to run on emergency diesel generators. Likhachev noted that repairs are dangerous due to ongoing attacks. The nuclear plant has been under Russian control since 2022 and is in a cold shutdown state.