Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant has been without electricity for four days in a row

The external power supply to the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), occupied by Russian forces, has been cut for more than three days – the longest outage since the start of the full-scale war – heightening concerns about the facility’s safety.

The last functioning power line to the plant was disconnected from the Russian side at 16:56 on Tuesday, 23 September. Since then, emergency diesel generators have been sustaining cooling and safety systems.

Western experts and Ukrainian officials believe that Moscow may be deliberately creating a crisis to consolidate its control over Europe’s largest nuclear facility. They warn that Russia is taking dangerous steps toward restarting at least one reactor despite the wartime risks.

Stress tests carried out by European regulators after Japan’s 2011 Fukushima disaster determined that nuclear plants should withstand up to 72 hours without external electricity, though this threshold has never been tested beyond that limit.

According to the IAEA, Russian operators at the site have confirmed sufficient diesel reserves to keep generators running for 20 days. IAEA Director Rafael Grossi has cautioned, however, that the loss of external power significantly increases the risk of a nuclear accident.

Currently, seven of the plant’s 18 available generators are providing cooling. Ukrainian officials warn that if these efforts fail, nuclear fuel in the six reactors could overheat uncontrollably within weeks, potentially triggering a meltdown. A similar but faster chain of events led to disaster at Fukushima, where recently operating reactors shut down automatically following a magnitude 9.0 earthquake.

Zelenskyy shed light on media reports about the Ukrainian request for Tomahawk missiles from Trump

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed media reports that he had asked U.S. President Donald Trump to provide long-range Tomahawk missiles, confirming that a formal request outlining Ukraine’s defense needs has been submitted.

According to the European Pravda, Zelenskyy was asked to clarify reports suggesting that Tomahawk missiles were discussed during his recent meeting with Trump in New York. He responded that Ukraine had presented a request with specific details and illustrations of its requirements to the U.S. president.

He noted that these requests are part of the broader $90 billion “mega deal” under discussion, but added that Ukraine is also open to separate agreements for individual weapons systems, including long-range capabilities. Zelenskyy declined to provide further specifics.

Russian drone attack caused fires and damaged a critical infrastructure in Vinnytsia Oblast

A Russian drone strike on Vinnytsia Oblast overnight on Sept. 27 damaged critical infrastructure and sparked fires, local authorities reported. A residential building was also left without power.

Emergency services extinguished the fires and restored train traffic. According to officials, more than 30 firefighters and eight units of equipment were deployed in the response.

No casualties were reported.

Vinnytsia, located in central Ukraine about 200 kilometers (248miles) southwest of Kyiv, has frequently come under drone and missile attacks as Russia continues its full-scale war against Ukraine.

Belarus proposes to build a new nuclear plant to supply energy to Russian-occupied Ukraine

Belarus has offered the idea of constructing a new nuclear power plant that could supply electricity to Russian-occupied territories in Ukraine, President Alexander Lukashenko said on Sept. 26 during talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, Reuters reported. Lukashenko stated that construction could begin immediately if a decision is made, while Putin added that financing would not be an issue as long as there are consumers willing to pay for the electricity. Belarusian state media noted that discussions are ongoing about whether to expand the existing plant in Ostrovets or build a new station in the country’s east.

Although Belarus is not a direct participant in Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, it has consistently supported Moscow’s military operations. At the start of the war, Minsk allowed Russian troops to use Belarusian territory as a launchpad for the failed attempt to capture Kyiv from the north.