The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has reported a drone strike on the turbine building of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine. According to IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi, the attack has resulted in a breach in the building’s wall.
The IAEA was informed by the plant’s administration about the incident and has requested access to the damaged area. However, as of the latest updates, the agency has not yet been granted entry. Further details are expected to emerge following an on-site inspection.
Grossi noted that, if confirmed, this would mark the first attack within the plant’s perimeter since April 2024.
IAEA’s Response
Grossi expressed serious concern regarding the incident. He emphasized that such an attack, if it indeed occurred, jeopardizes seven key principles of nuclear safety amid conflict, as well as five protective principles specific to the Zaporizhzhia facility. One of these principles explicitly states that there should be no attacks of any kind directed at or from the plant.
“Attacking nuclear facilities is akin to playing with fire,” Grossi stated.
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has pointed out a pattern in Russia’s actions, noting that just before each IAEA Board of Governors meeting, Moscow tends to initiate a new wave of manipulations concerning the plant. The consistent goal is to distract from its illegal occupation. The ministry also reminded that Russia has been blocking international inspectors from accessing certain areas of the plant for years, particularly the western sections of the turbine halls.
A drone strike has reportedly hit the turbine building of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, raising serious safety concerns from the IAEA. The incident, if verified, would be the first attack within the plant's perimeter since April 2024, prompting calls for urgent inspections.