Safety at Ukraine’s Zaporizhia nuclear power plant is deteriorating following a drone attack that hit an access road on the power plant’s premises, according to a nuclear regulatory authority.
Russia has controlled the Zaporizhia site, Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, since it launched a large-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the impact site was near the key cooling water sprinkler pools and about 100 meters from the Dniprovska power line, the only remaining 750-kilovolt line that supplies electricity to the plant.
Russia had previously stated that a Ukrainian drone had dropped an explosive device on a road used by its employees.
The power plant is idle because Moscow and Kiev have repeatedly accused each other of sabotaging the plant’s operations and endangering security around the plant.
IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said: “Once again we are witnessing an escalation of threats to the nuclear safety of the plant.
“I remain extremely concerned and once again call on all sides to exercise the greatest possible restraint and to strictly adhere to the five concrete principles established to protect the power plant.”
An IAEA team visited the area on Saturday and reported that the damage appeared to have been caused by a drone loaded with explosives.
According to the report, there were no casualties and the nuclear power plant’s equipment was not damaged. However, the road between the two main gates of the power plant was damaged.
Moscow wants to discuss the attack on the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant with the IAEA, the Russian news agency RIA reported, citing Roman Ustinov, the acting Russian ambassador to Vienna.
The attack came as Ukraine continues to invade Russia’s Kursk region.
Kyiv claims to have taken control of 82 settlements covering 1,150 square kilometers (444 square miles) in the region since August 6, when its advance began.
Today, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his troops would “strengthen” and further expand their positions in the captured territories in Russia.
Russian troops also attacked the Ukrainian city of Sumy with an Iskander-K cruise missile, causing significant damage to buildings
Germany, Ukraine’s second-largest donor, has reportedly frozen its military aid to Kyiv because it can no longer afford it due to a budget crisis.
Meanwhile, Ukraine denied Russia’s claims that it was planning an attack on a nuclear power plant in Kursk and the use of “dirty bombs” on Russian territory.
The Moscow Defense Ministry also claimed this and warned that it would expect a harsh response in the event of an attack on the Kursk nuclear power plant, which remains under its control, the Russian news agency Interfax reported.
The ministry did not provide any evidence to support its claim, but said the surrounding area could be contaminated by an attack on the power plant.
Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Heorhii Tykhyi denied the claim, calling it “insane Russian propaganda.” He added: “We officially refute these false claims. Ukraine has neither the intention nor the ability to take such actions.”
An adviser to the Ukrainian president called on Sir Keir Starmer to allow Ukraine to use Storm Shadow missiles donated by Britain to attack Russian territory.
Mykhailo Podolyak told The Telegraph that allowing Ukraine to use these weapons would “turn the tide of the war.”
Mr Podolyak said Ukraine would use the long-range missiles against Russian airfields, command posts and supply lines.
He said if Britain relaxed restrictions, Ukraine could increase the intensity of its attacks on key targets deep inside Russia – leading to a quicker end to the war than is currently the case.
Additional reporting from Reuters.
