Drone Strike Creates Hole in Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant Wall Amid International Concern

A fresh attack targeted the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine, prompting Kyiv and Moscow to accuse each other of responsibility amid global apprehension about the consequences.

On Saturday, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported receiving notification from the Zaporizhzhia plant in southeastern Ukraine that a drone had struck the turbine building at the site, causing a hole in its wall.

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi expressed deep concern over the incident, stating, "Attacking nuclear sites is akin to playing with fire."

The agency further explained in a post on the X platform that its team at the Russian-controlled plant had requested permission to enter and inspect the damaged turbine building.

Meanwhile, the Russian state energy company Rosatom said on Saturday that a Ukrainian drone had targeted the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, the largest in Europe. Rosatom claimed the strike did not damage the main equipment, but the Ukrainian military denied carrying out any attack on the facility.

Rosatom’s head, Aleksei Likhachev, stated in a release, "A Ukrainian drone laden with explosives targeted the machinery building of power unit 6, resulting in a subsequent explosion."

He added that the explosion "did not damage the main equipment but created a hole in the wall of the machinery hall."

The Ukrainian military rejected the Russian allegations, describing them as "a new propaganda trick," and affirmed that Ukrainian forces had not targeted the power unit at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant.

In a statement, the Ukrainian military said, "Our servicemen act precisely in accordance with international humanitarian law and fully understand the consequences of any actions targeting nuclear facilities."

It also noted, "There were no active battles in the relevant sector of the frontline at the time of the incident, and no weapons were used."

Russia seized control of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in March 2022, and it remains close to the frontline in southeastern Ukraine.

The plant has been subjected to repeated shelling during the ongoing four-year conflict, raising fears of a nuclear accident at the facility.

Likhachev warned, "We are one step closer to an incident that could likely affect even those living far from the borders of Russia and Ukraine who believe they are completely safe."