Ukraine has denied Russian accusations of carrying out a drone strike on the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, Europe's largest. Russia's state nuclear company, Rosatom, alleged that a drone struck part of reactor 6 on Saturday, damaging a turbine hall wall but causing no radiation leak.
International Response
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) stated it had been informed of the reported strike and is seeking access to inspect the damage directly. The IAEA warned that "attacking nuclear sites is like playing with fire."
Ukraine dismissed the claims as propaganda, accusing Moscow of using the occupied plant for "nuclear blackmail." The Zaporizhzhia facility has been a focal point of safety concerns since Russian forces seized it in the early weeks of the war.
Rosatom's Statement
Rosatom CEO Alexei Likhachev said the drone left a hole in the turbine hall wall but caused no damage to key equipment. He claimed the drone was controlled via fiber optics, "completely ruling out the possibility of an accidental impact." Ukraine has not yet commented on the incident.
The plant, located in Russian-controlled territory, is not operational but requires reliable power to cool its six shutdown reactors and spent fuel to prevent catastrophic nuclear incidents.
Broader Context
Recent developments include reports that 500,000 Russian soldiers have been killed in the war, according to GCHQ. Additionally, Russia's war spending is expected to exceed its budget by $28 billion this year, forcing spending cuts elsewhere.
In a separate incident, a Russian drone struck an apartment building in NATO member Romania, raising tensions. Analysts suggest President Putin has adopted a reckless policy, accepting the risk of drone incursions into NATO airspace as part of Russia's strike campaign in Ukraine.
