TRACKING THE FALLOUT: A TIMELINE OF RUSSIAN ASSAULTS ON UKRAINIAN NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS AND TESTING OF THE IAEA’S SEVEN PILLARS (2022-2025)

The protracted Russia-Ukraine conflict poses a significant threat to the security and safety of the nuclear power facilities in that region. Since the start of the conflict, Russian forces have taken control of Ukraine’s nuclear power plants, including Zaporizhzhia and Chernobyl. This situational paper provides an overview of the various events that transpired around the Ukrainian nuclear power plants during this armed conflict. It covers a timeline from 2022 to early 2025, documenting attacks, drone incursions, cyber threats, and power disruptions. It examines how these events tested the IAEA’s Seven Pillars of nuclear safety: physical infrastructure; safety and security systems; staff conditions; off-site power; logistics; radiation monitoring; and communications. All of these faced continued stress revealing vulnerabilities in operational and regulatory frameworks. The IAEA’s monitoring and technical interventions provided critical oversight and mitigated potential disasters, but legal and practical limitations remain. The findings highlight the urgent need for reinforced safeguards, resilient infrastructure, and strengthened international legal mechanisms to protect nuclear facilities in contemporary armed conflicts.

 

Keywords: Nuclear safety, IAEA Seven Pillars, Russia, Ukraine, Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP)