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Ukraine Steps Up Attacks Near Zaporozhye Nuclear Plant, Energodar, Say Russian Officials
Russian-installed officials report that Ukrainian forces have intensified attacks near the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant and the city of Energodar, with the frequency of bombardments returning to pre-Easter levels. The city remains without power, and the IAEA has noted the shutdown of a backup power line, prompting calls for a local ceasefire.
Russian-installed officials say Ukrainian forces have again stepped up attacks on the area around the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) and its satellite city of Energodar, with the frequency of bombardments returning to the levels seen before a brief Easter truce. The plant’s communications director, Yevgenia Yashina, told the Russian state news agency TASS that the intensity of fire has “reverted to the levels seen prior to the Easter ceasefire.”
Energodar has been without power for a second consecutive day, according to Yashina, who said public facilities are operating on generators and fuel is available, though demand is high. The city’s mayor, Maxim Pukhov, who was appointed by the Russian-installed administration, said on April 15 that the power cut was the result of an attack by Ukrainian forces.
Coverage Comparison
The reports, all originating from TASS, consistently attribute the attacks to Ukrainian forces and rely on statements from Yashina and Pukhov. No independent verification of these claims was available, and Ukrainian officials have not commented on the alleged attacks. The coverage focuses on the humanitarian and nuclear safety implications rather than military developments, and it does not include perspectives from Ukrainian authorities or international observers other than the IAEA.
Key Claims
Intensified Attacks: Yashina said there have been “many attacks” by Ukrainian forces on the city and nearby areas of the plant, with an intensity not seen in the past three years. She added that the frequency of bombardments has returned to pre-Easter truce levels, as reported by TASS on April 15.
Power Outage in Energodar: Energodar has been completely without power for a second day, according to Yashina, who spoke to TASS on April 16. The city’s mayor said the disconnection resulted from an attack by Ukrainian forces. Public facilities are operating on generators, and entrepreneurs have set up phone charging stations.
IAEA Report on Power Line: The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported the shutdown of the backup power line that supplies the ZNPP, according to TASS. The plant has been receiving power from the last remaining high-voltage line since March 24. IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said negotiations would be initiated with Russia and Ukraine to establish a local ceasefire to allow for repairs.
Civilian Infrastructure Attacks: Yashina said Ukrainian forces attempted to target civilian facilities in Energodar with drones, including a sports complex that was damaged. TASS reported that repairs are being funded by Rosenergoatom, the Russian nuclear energy company.
Safety Status: Yashina said no safety violations have been reported at the plant, and the technical condition is under control. She said necessary measures to ensure nuclear and radioactive safety are being taken.
Correction/Clarification
As of the date of these reports, the ZNPP has been under Russian military control since March 2022, but it is operated by Ukrainian staff. The plant has repeatedly been at the center of crossfire, with both sides trading blame for attacks.
How this outlet told it
TASS — English — Frequency of bombardments by Ukrainian forces near the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant has returned to pre-Easter truce levels
TASS — English — Ukrainian armed forces have intensified attacks on the area near the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant
TASS — English — Ukrainian forces attempted to target civilian facilities in Energodar with drones
TASS — English — Area adjacent to the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant and Energodar were attacked by Ukrainian armed forces
TASS — English — Energodar remains without power for the second day
TASS — English — Situation around the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant remains tense
AI-extracted; can misattribute a claim — see Methodology.
Each row is one claim, attributed to the outlet whose wording states it most clearly. Confidence rates how directly the source text states the claim — explicit and unhedged rates high; hedged, pieced-together, or internally inconsistent statements rate lower. It does not measure whether the claim is true. Status counts the distinct outlets we found asserting it — so a single-source claim can still show high confidence, and a multi-source claim can show medium. Every one of those outlets is named beside the status, so you can check the count against the list. For claims extracted before we began storing that list, the row says so: it names the outlet the claim is quoted from and states that we have not recorded which outlets backed it. Outlets wrote at different times, so a figure that evolves — a casualty count, for example — can legitimately differ between rows; check the "as of" time next to each claim's source.
Claim
Confidence
Status
ClaimThe frequency of bombardments by Ukrainian forces near the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant has returned to pre-Easter truce levels. The intensity of attacks around Energodar has surged significantly.
ClaimIAEA Director General Rafael Grossi added that negotiations would be initiated with Russia and Ukraine to establish a local ceasefire to allow for repairs.
ClaimThe situation around the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant remains tense but the staff is keeping the technical condition of the nuclear facility under control.