Greenpeace released a report characterizing Russian actions at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in occupied southeastern Ukraine as deliberate sabotage aimed at disrupting its electricity supply while simultaneously conducting a disinformation campaign. The environmental organization stated that Russia is using these accusations and counter-narratives to deflect attention from the security risks posed by its military occupation and ongoing military operations in the region.
The analysis was conducted jointly by Greenpeace Ukraine and London-based McKenzie Intelligence Services (MIS), which examined satellite imagery provided by Airbus’s defence and space division. The images captured the 330 kV Ferosplavna-1 power line near the facility between October 2025 and June 2026. According to the report, satellite evidence shows no indication that Ukraine conducted attacks on the plant’s electrical infrastructure, contradicting Russian claims of Ukrainian responsibility for damage documented in specific incidents.
MIS evaluated two alleged Ukrainian attacks: artillery fire on February 10 and a drone strike on June 4. The analysis concluded that damage patterns at the site were inconsistent with either form of attack. The investigators noted that artillery strikes typically produce dispersed impact craters and scattered damage visible in satellite imagery, patterns that were absent at the location. Additionally, damage attributed to the June 4 drone strike was already evident in imagery captured before the alleged attack date.
The Ferosplavna-1 power line is identified by the International Atomic Energy Agency as the plant’s sole remaining external power source. Nuclear safety officials have emphasized the critical importance of maintaining stable electricity supply to operate reactor cooling systems and maintain fuel pool temperatures. Greenpeace underscored these safety concerns, warning that reliable power is essential for pumps that provide cooling to nuclear fuel in reactor cores and spent fuel storage areas, making the power supply disruptions a significant nuclear safety issue.
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