The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has confirmed that a drone struck a turbine building at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) in Ukraine, marking the first drone attack inside the plant’s perimeter since April 2024 .
The IAEA said it was informed by the plant that a drone hit a turbine building at the site on Saturday, reportedly causing a hole in one of the building’s walls .
IAEA demands access to the site
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi expressed serious concern over the incident, warning that such attacks jeopardize nuclear safety.
“Attacking nuclear sites is like playing with fire,” Grossi said, reiterating his call for restraint .
“There should be no attacks of any kind from or against a nuclear facility,” he added, emphasizing that the incident endangers both the “7 indispensable pillars for ensuring nuclear safety” and the “5 concrete principles” established to protect the ZNPP .
The IAEA team stationed at the plant has requested access to examine the affected turbine building first-hand, and the agency said it would update its report after obtaining access .
Russia blames Ukraine, Kyiv denies
Russia’s state-owned nuclear energy company Rosatom claimed that a Ukrainian drone struck the turbine hall of Power Unit No. 6. Rosatom CEO Alexey Likhachev said the drone was fiber-optically controlled, ruling out an accidental strike, and that the explosion tore a hole in the turbine hall wall but caused no damage to primary equipment .
However, Ukraine’s military denied the Russian claims as “yet another propaganda ploy,” stating that Ukrainian troops did not strike the power unit .
“Ukrainian servicemen act strictly within international humanitarian law and are fully aware of the consequences of any actions targeting nuclear facilities,” the military said in a statement. “At the relevant section of the frontline, there was no active fighting during the incident, and no weapons were used” .
Europe’s largest nuclear plant at risk
The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, Europe’s largest with six reactors, has been under Russian control since March 2022 and remains close to the frontline in southeastern Ukraine . It is not currently producing power.
Throughout the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the IAEA has repeatedly warned of the risks posed by military activities around the site and has called for the protection of nuclear infrastructure .
The latest incident raises fresh concerns about nuclear safety in the war zone, with the IAEA continuing to press for access to assess the full extent of the damage.
