The head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog said nuclear safety at the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant in Russia-occupied Ukraine was deteriorating after drone attacks in the area around it.
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Rafael Grossi said he remained “extremely concerned” and called on “all parties to exercise maximum restraint” to protect nuclear power plants.
The agency said the impact of the strike occurred on a road outside the facility, close to a necessary fountain and about 100m from the only remaining high-voltage power lines.
The factory was occupied by Russian troops early in the war and came under repeated attack, with each side blaming the other.
Last week, Kyiv and Moscow Both sides pointed fingers at each other after a fire broke out in a cooling tower at the plant.
The International Atomic Energy Agency did not say who carried out Saturday’s attack, but its team based in Porozhye said the damage appeared to have been caused by a drone carrying explosives.
“The team heard frequent explosions, repeated heavy machine gun fire, rifle fire and artillery fire at various distances from the factory,” the agency said in a statement.
The plant has not produced electricity for more than two years and all six reactors have been in a cold shutdown since April.
Russia launched a full-scale invasion of its neighbor in February 2022 and has made slow progress recently in seizing more territory in eastern Ukraine.
However, it was shocking when Ukrainian troops penetrated the Kursk region, where they had been entrenching themselves for nearly two weeks.
Thousands of Russians have been evacuated from the area.
On Sunday, Ukrainian Air Force Commander Mykola Oreshchuk said his troops destroyed a second bridge in the Kursk region, “depriving the enemy of its logistical capabilities.”
Earlier this week, Ukraine destroyed a bridge over the Seem River that had been used by the Kremlin to supply its troops.
This is the first time since World War II that foreign troops have entered Russian territory.
