Drone Strike Hits Europe's Largest Nuclear Plant: IAEA Demands Access as Russia and Ukraine Trade Blame
A drone strike damaged a turbine hall at the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, prompting the IAEA to demand immediate access and warn of a potential nuclear catastrophe, while Moscow and Kyiv trade accusations.
The Incident
A drone struck the turbine hall of reactor six at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in southern Ukraine on Saturday, tearing a hole in the building's wall. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which has a team stationed at the Russian-occupied facility, confirmed the damage and reported that no increase in radiation levels had been measured. The IAEA stated this was the first drone attack on the plant's grounds since April 2024.
Attacking a nuclear facility is like playing with fire.
Blame Game
Russia's state nuclear corporation, Rosatom, and its head, Alexei Likhachev, accused Ukraine of a deliberate attack, claiming the drone was guided by a fiber-optic cable, which ruled out an accidental strike. The Ukrainian military and foreign ministry vehemently denied the accusations, calling them a "propaganda trick" and an attempt at "nuclear blackmail." Kyiv argued it would be illogical to attack a facility on its own territory that it intends to regain control of.
It is incomprehensible why Ukraine would attack a plant on its own territory that it wants to bring back under its control.
IAEA Response
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi expressed serious concern, calling the incident a grave one that endangers the fundamental principles of nuclear safety. IAEA experts on site have requested access to the affected building to conduct a full assessment. The agency reiterated its call for an immediate halt to all attacks on or from the plant to prevent a nuclear accident.
Broader Escalation
The incident occurred amid a flurry of reported drone strikes deep inside both countries. Russia reported that Ukrainian drones attacked industrial and energy facilities in several regions, including Kirov, over 1,300 kilometers from Ukrainian-controlled territory. Fires were reported at an oil depot in Armavir, Krasnodar region, and a tanker and port in Taganrog on the Sea of Azov were hit, injuring two people. In Ukraine, a Russian drone strike set ablaze a branch of the Nova Poshta courier company in Dnipro, prompting President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to call for more air defense support.
These attacks must stop.
Fuel Crisis in Crimea
On the occupied Crimean Peninsula, a fuel shortage led to the rationing of AI-95 gasoline to 20 liters per person per day, starting Saturday. Local media reported long queues at gas stations, and the sale of fuel coupons to individual customers was suspended. The Russian-installed governor of Sevastopol, Mikhail Razvozhaev, stated that fuel supplies would be increased and that emergency services had sufficient reserves.
Plant Status
Zaporizhzhia, Europe's largest nuclear power plant with six reactors and a nominal capacity of 6,000 megawatts, has been under Russian control since March 2022. All reactors are shut down, but the plant still requires external electricity for its cooling and safety systems. The Dnipro River, which separates Russian and Ukrainian forces, runs nearby.
- Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant falls under Russian control.
- Last reported drone attack on the Zaporizhzhia plant grounds before this incident.
- A drone strikes the turbine hall of reactor six, tearing a hole in the wall.
- IAEA confirms no radiation leak, demands access to the site, and warns of nuclear safety risks.
- Russia reports Ukrainian drone strikes on oil infrastructure in Taganrog and Armavir.
