Preparations made with Belarus to restore electricity supply to Chernobyl NPP via connection from Belarusian power grid - Russian Energy Ministry

MOSCOW. March 9 (Interfax) - Preparations have been made with Belarus to restore the electricity supply to the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) following Ukrainian nationalists' attack, Russian Deputy Energy Minister Pavel Sorokin said.

"It is highly important to note that, at this stage, preparations have already been made promptly with the Belarusian side to restore electricity supply via the permanent connection from the Belarusian power grid," Sorokin said.

The Russian Defense Ministry, in turn, has said that Ukrainian nationalists delivered a strike on the power network supplying electricity to the Chernobyl NPP.

"It is with great regret that I have to inform you that Ukrainian nationalists staged another provocation, an extremely dangerous one. They delivered a strike on the sub-station and power lines supplying electricity to the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. Russian specialists took prompt measures to switch to backup diesel generator sources of power," Russian Deputy Defense Minister Nikolai Pankov said.