The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, under Russian control, reportedly experienced an attack that targeted the dome of a shutdown reactor. The plant’s Russian-installed administration disclosed the event, suggesting a drone was responsible. Despite the incident, officials from the plant and Rosatom, Russia’s state-owned nuclear agency, affirmed that radiation levels remained normal and the damage was not severe, though three individuals were reportedly injured near the site’s canteen in the drone strike.
Photos of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant after a Ukrainian drone attack. pic.twitter.com/SUw9Nr5MF8
— War Watch (@WarWatchs) April 7, 2024
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), with experts stationed at the plant, confirmed receiving consistent information regarding the drone detonation. IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi emphasized the importance of avoiding actions that could compromise nuclear safety. The facility, Europe’s largest nuclear plant, houses six reactors, with various operational statuses ranging from cold shutdown to hot shutdown.
The ongoing conflict sees both Ukraine and Russia accusing each other of endangering the plant, located near the conflict’s front lines. Meanwhile, the broader region experiences continued hostilities, including a recent event in Russia’s Belgorod region, where a woman was killed by shrapnel from a downed Ukrainian drone. Russia claimed to have destroyed multiple Ukrainian drones targeting the area.
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