In Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital, the leader of the United Nations’ atomic oversight agency vehemently criticized a Ukrainian drone assault on one of the six nuclear reactors at the Russian-governed Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, declaring such actions “greatly heighten the danger of a significant nuclear mishap.”
Through a proclamation on the social networking platform X, Rafael Mariano Grossi confirmed a minimum of three direct strikes against the containment structures of the ZNPP’s primary reactor. “This occurrence is unacceptable,” he voiced.
He noted that it marked the initial such assault since November 2022 when he outlined five fundamental principles to prevent a severe nuclear mishap with radiological repercussions.
Officials stationed at the power plant disclosed that the facility faced an attack on Sunday by Ukrainian military drones, including a direct hit on the dome of the plant’s sixth power unit.
As per statements from the plant’s authorities, there existed no severe harm or fatalities, and radiation levels at the site remained within standard limits following the onslaught. Nevertheless, later on Sunday, the Russian state-owned nuclear entity Rosatom reported that three individuals sustained injuries in the “extraordinary series of drone assaults,” notably when a drone struck an area in close proximity to the canteen.
The International Atomic Energy Agency proclaimed on Sunday that its specialists had been notified of the drone attack and that “such explosions align with IAEA observations.”
In a distinct announcement, the IAEA confirmed the tangible impact of the drone assaults at the plant, encompassing one of its six reactors. It stated one casualty had been reported.
“While the damage to unit 6 has not compromised nuclear safety, this is a significant occurrence with the potential to erode the integrity of the reactor’s containment mechanism,” it appended.
The power plant has been ensnared in the crossfire since Moscow deployed troops into Ukraine in 2022 and subsequently seized control of the facility. The IAEA has continuously expressed apprehension regarding the nuclear power plant, which stands as Europe’s largest, amidst apprehensions of a plausible nuclear calamity. Both Ukraine and Russia habitually level accusations against each other regarding assaults on the plant, which remains in close proximity to the conflict’s front lines.
The six reactors at the plant have remained non-operational for several months, yet the plant still necessitates electricity and competent personnel to manage crucial cooling systems and other safety protocols.
Furthermore, on Sunday, three individuals lost their lives when their residence bore the brunt of a Russian projectile in the frontline town of Huliaipole in the partially occupied southeastern Zaporizhzhia region, as per regional Governor Ivan Fedorov. Subsequently, two individuals sustained injuries in another shelling incident in Huliaipole later on Sunday.
In a separate occurrence, three individuals incurred injuries in Russian shelling in Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region, according to regional Governor Oleh Syniehubov.
In Russia, a girl succumbed to injuries, and four other individuals sustained wounds when the debris from a downed Ukrainian drone landed on a vehicle carrying a family of six in Russia’s Belgorod region, adjacent to Ukraine, regional Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov disclosed.
