Russia seeks to disconnect Ukraine's nuclear power plants, HUR says, risking potential meltdown

"Moscow is planning to strike substations connected to Ukraine’s three active nuclear plants in western and southern Ukraine to completely disconnect Ukrainians from heat and power, Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) warned on Jan. 17.

Ukrainians across the country are already grappling with limited power and heating as Russia decimates Ukraine's energy facilities. But disconnecting its nuclear power plants would take the crisis one step further — Ukrainians would be fully cut off from electricity and heating in subzero temperatures.
Russia's strategy is "to force Ukraine to accept unacceptable capitulation demands to end the war," HUR said. Already, the agency says Russia has conducted reconnaissance of ten critical energy substations in nine regions of Ukraine." KI