Russia planning attacks on Ukraine’s nuclear power plants, says Zelenskyy

Moscow using satellite images to obtain detailed information about nuclear energy infrastructure, Ukrainian President says

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrives to address the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly. AP

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday warned that Russia is planning attacks on Ukraine’s nuclear power plants and energy infrastructure.

Speaking at the UN General Assembly, Mr Zelenskyy accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of seeking to “break the Ukrainian spirit” by attacking the country’s energy systems.

“Recently, I received yet another alarming report from our intelligence. Now Putin does seem to be planning attacks on our nuclear power plants and the infrastructure, aiming to disconnect the plants from the power grid,” Mr Zelenskyy said.

“Putin is deliberately attacking our power plants and entire energy grid.”

He said Russia was using satellite images to obtain detailed information about Ukraine’s nuclear energy infrastructure.

“Any critical incident in the energy system could lead to a nuclear disaster, a day like that must never come,” Mr Zelenskyy said.

“Moscow needs to understand this, and this depends in part on your determination to put pressure on the aggressor.”

Ukraine's energy grid has been a frequent target of Russian forces, with the Ukrainian Air Force reporting that in recent weeks, several groups of Russian drones had attacked infrastructure in the country's eastern, northern, southern and central regions, followed by cruise and ballistic missiles.

Earlier in the conflict, Russia captured Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the largest in Europe and one of the 10 biggest in the world. Fighting near the site has raised global alarm and both sides have traded accusations about attacks carried out near the plant.

Ukraine is currently engaged in its own series of attacks on Russian oil refineries and a surprise recent push over the border led the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency to call for restraint after reports of “significant military activity” near a nuclear plant in Kursk.

Mr Zelenskyy said his country would never accept a deal imposed from the outside, as he questioned the motives of China and Brazil in pushing for talks with Russia.

“Why anyone in the world believes that such a brutal colonial past, which suits no one today, can be imposed on Ukraine now,” he told the 193 member states.

He urged the international community to back his country firmly, rejecting any “out” in place of a “real, just peace” as the war with Russia enters its third year.

He reaffirmed that there is no alternative to the “peace formula” he proposed two years ago, which calls for the complete withdrawal of Russian forces from Ukraine and accountability for war crimes.

“Any parallel or alternative peace efforts are simply attempts to find an out rather than end the war,” he said.

“Do not divide the world. Be United Nations. And that will bring us peace.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin issued his most explicit nuclear threat to date, stating that Moscow would consider deploying such weapons in response to a "massive" air attack on Russian territory.

Meanwhile, Ukraine continues to urge the United States and its allies to ease restrictions on weapons capable of striking deeper into Russian soil.

Mr Zelenskyy is expected to present his peace proposals, which he has called the “victory plan”, to US President Joe Biden on Thursday, before meeting US Vice President Kamala Harris.