Drone Strike Hits Ukrainian Nuclear Plant Under Russian Control: IAEA
The International Atomic Energy Agency has confirmed that a drone strike struck a nuclear power plant currently under Russian military occupation in Ukraine, raising immediate concerns about nuclear safety at a facility that remains operational under contested control. The IAEA issued an alert urging all parties to exercise maximum restraint near nuclear installations.
The agency did not immediately specify which plant was targeted, though several facilities in Russian-held territory in eastern and southern Ukraine fall under IAEA monitoring arrangements established since the 2022 invasion. The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, Europe's largest, has been a recurring flashpoint throughout the conflict.
Ukrainian and Russian officials traded blame for the incident, with Kyiv denying any deliberate targeting of nuclear infrastructure while Moscow accused Ukrainian forces of reckless escalation. The IAEA confirmed its resident monitoring team at the facility reported the strike and is assessing the extent of damage.
The incident is among the most alarming nuclear safety episodes since the war began, with global nonproliferation experts warning of catastrophic consequences should a strike disable critical cooling or containment systems. International calls for a nuclear safety zone around Ukrainian plants have so far failed to materialise into binding commitments.
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