NEW YORK — Russia is making plans to attack Ukraine’s nuclear power plants, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned fellow world leaders at the United Nations on Wednesday, issuing a stark call for global leadership to help him attain peace as his country stares down a cold, dark winter with most of its energy infrastructure destroyed.
In his highest-platform address during a week of high-stakes diplomacy, Zelensky singled out his Russian counterpart, President Vladimir Putin, and said Ukraine has a right to its territorial integrity. He decried Moscow’s veto on the U.N. Security Council, which has stymied the strongest global repercussions for Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.tate borders.”
Zelensky plans to meet President Joe Biden on Thursday at the White House, where he will present ideas — billed as a “victory plan” — for ending the conflict. He also is seeking permission to use long-range U.S. missiles for strikes deep inside Russian territory.
“Recently, I received yet another alarming report from our intelligence. Now, Putin does seem to be planning attacks on our nuclear power plants and infrastructure, aiming to disconnect the plants from the power grid,” Zelensky said, speaking from the high rostrum of the main United Nations hall. “Any missile or drone strike or any critical incident in the energy system could lead to a nuclear disaster. A day like that must never come.”
He said his country fears its toughest winter yet, as Ukrainian officials privately warn their international allies that many of their citizens could face most of their days during the bitter winter months without heat or power.
“Just imagine, please, your country, with 80 percent of its energy system gone. … What kind of life would that be?” Zelensky said. “If, God forbid, Russia causes a nuclear disaster at one of our nuclear power plants, radiation will not respect state borders.”
The Russian Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
