Ukraine’s parliament approves purchase of Russian-made reactors

Ukraine’s parliament has approved the purchase of two Russian-made reactors from Bulgaria for the Khmelnytskyi Nuclear Power Plant, as confirmed by lawmaker Yaroslav Zhelezniak on February 11, 2025.

President Volodymyr Zelensky had urged lawmakers to approve the project, calling it “key to energy independence” for Ukraine. Bulgaria has offered to sell its unused 15-year-old VVER-1000 reactors and other equipment for units 3 and 4 of the western Ukrainian nuclear power plant, which has been targeted by regular Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy grid.

While the deal was approved, some lawmakers voiced concerns over the reactors’ obsolescence and cost. The parliament had struggled to pass the law in previous months, prompting Bulgaria to extend the deadline for concluding the deal until March. The price of the two reactors is set at $600 million, according to lawmaker Andrii Zhupanyn.

Nuclear power is critical for sustaining Ukraine’s energy grid, covering over half of the country’s electricity consumption. Russian missile and drone attacks have severely damaged Ukraine’s thermal and hydroelectric power plants, leading to regular emergency shutdowns.

The Khmelnytskyi plant, one of the three remaining operational nuclear stations in Ukraine-controlled areas, is being expanded to compensate for the loss of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, which is under Russian occupation.

The news comes as Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko, who advocated for purchasing Russian-made reactors, faces growing political pressure. Opposition lawmakers have accused him of “systemic corruption in the energy sector,” “failure to protect parts of the energy infrastructure,” and “lies and manipulations,” calling for his dismissal. The details were reported by The Kyiv Independent.