Russia has accused Ukraine of launching drones at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station, attributing safety concerns to the incident.

Russia's nuclear power corporation Rosatom, along with international energy officials, attributed the attack on the dome covering the closed nuclear reactor at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station to Ukraine's military.

According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, an unmanned device detonated near the dome of one of the reactors at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, which holds the distinction of being the largest nuclear power plant in Europe.

The incident at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant was reported by the Russian-installed administration, established after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Russian officials stated that the reactor sustained no serious damage and radiation levels remained normal.

According to Rosatom, three individuals were injured, with one sustaining serious injuries. Russian authorities, in a statement posted on the plant's official Telegram channel, accused the Ukrainian military of employing "self-exploding" drones against the facility.

The statement issued regarding the shelling of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant emphasised the unacceptable nature of such actions, highlighting that no nuclear facility is designed to withstand direct military fire. It cautioned that damage to infrastructure could compromise the safe operation of the plant.

As per Ukrainian intelligence official cited by Reuters, Kyiv denied carrying out any strikes on the station. Defense Intelligence of Ukraine spokesperson Andriy Yusov, speaking to Ukrainian news outlet Ukrainska Pravda, accused the aggressor state of endangering the nuclear facility, civilians, and the environment of Europe once again.

Rafael Grossi, the head of the UN's atomic watchdog agency, condemned the attack on the nuclear power plant, labelling it as "reckless" and "a major escalation of the nuclear safety and security dangers" facing the facility.

He cautioned that such attacks "significantly increase the risk of a major nuclear accident." Grossi, in a statement on X, confirmed that at least three direct strikes were made against the main reactor containment structures of the plant.

The director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) stated, "Attacks against nuclear facilities cannot be tolerated. No one can gain any military or political advantage from such actions. This is unacceptable."

In another statement, the nuclear watchdog asserted, "While the damage at unit 6 has not compromised nuclear safety, this incident is serious and has the potential to undermine the integrity of the reactor's containment system."

Image source: BBC News