Russian representatives at the IAEA have succeeded in having Crimea designated as Russian territory within the IAEA’s global integrated information system (PRIS) and are demanding further Russification of the names of occupied Ukrainian settlements, according to the Main Intelligence Agency (GUR) of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine.
"For instance, IAEA Deputy Director General Mikhail Chudakov—a Russian national—secured the agency's support for displaying the temporarily occupied territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea as part of the Russian Federation in the updated IAEA global integrated information system (PRIS)," the GUR stated in a Telegram post regarding the current situation at the Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) on Wednesday.
It is also reported that Russian representatives within the organization are demanding the use of Russified names for Ukrainian settlements in the system, specifically: Chernobyl, Rovno, Khmelnitski, and Zaporozhye.
Furthermore, the GUR reports a danger posed by the continuous drop in water levels in the ZNPP cooling pond. While the level stood at 12.86 meters in July 2026, it fell to 12.63 meters in early August and to 12.55 meters by the end of the month, with the decline continuing. A level of 15 meters is considered the minimum required to meet the plant's operational needs.
It is also noted that instances of external power supply outages at the plant have become more frequent. In August, the ZNPP lost external power three times. Additionally, the plant is experiencing internet connectivity issues. On August 13–14, 2026, the network was disconnected due to the actions of Russian occupying forces, hindering communication, data monitoring, and international oversight. The Kremlin has also stepped up the implementation of its strategy to integrate the Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) into its "legal framework"—specifically, the aggressor state's Federal Service for Environmental, Technological and Nuclear Supervision (Rostekhnadzor) has dispatched a special team of inspectors to the plant.
"At the same time, Moscow is seeking, through its representatives at the IAEA, to russify the organization and leverage the agency's international status to justify the occupation of the ZNPP. One of the objectives of this hybrid campaign is to 'normalize' the information landscape and pave the way for the further legitimization of Russian control over the Ukrainian nuclear power plant," the message notes.
