Purchase of Russian Reactors from Bulgaria

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This legislative initiative enabled Ukraine to purchase equipment from Bulgaria for the construction of the Khmelnytskyi Nuclear Power Plant—specifically two nuclear reactors manufactured in Russia (project 11392). Previously, the Russian Federation had sold these reactors to Bulgaria, but Bulgaria later decided not to build a nuclear power plant that would operate on Russian fuel, as it would create dependency on a country under an authoritarian regime.

Ukraine expressed readiness to purchase the equipment for USD 600 million. Public utility tariffs were increased, and the funds were intended to be allocated to Energoatom for this large-scale construction project.

The organization Ecoaction noted that future operation of the nuclear power plant would inevitably require technical involvement from Russia, which would undermine the country’s energy independence.

The decision on purchasing the reactors was prepared in Parliament for a second reading ahead of Donald Trump’s inauguration in the United States. It received significant media attention, as the Ukrainian government later approved the purchase of Russian-origin reactors, while critics argued that the funds could instead be directed to the Armed Forces.

The investigative media outlet Nashi Groshi emphasized that Parliament would later need to adopt additional decisions on completing the construction of the Khmelnytskyi NPP units, which experts estimated could take 7–8 years. Opposition MPs warned that such a project could entail significant corruption risks during implementation. The relevant parliamentary committee also noted that the legislative initiative was not compliant with Ukraine’s anti-corruption legislation.

A total of 269 Members of Parliament voted in favor of the law. Votes against were cast by representatives of two factions—European Solidarity and Holos.

It is important to note that the text of the draft law, which passed the first reading, was significantly altered, including its title. The Main Legal Department of the Verkhovna Rada pointed to this procedural violation. Experts also noted that Parliament acted beyond its constitutional powers and granted preferential treatment to certain business entities.

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