IAEA warns of possible drone attack near Ukrainian nuclear plant

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said it has been informed of a potential drone attack near Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant, raising fresh concerns over nuclear safety in a conflict zone.

According to a statement on Tuesday, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said the agency’s team stationed at the plant was told that six drones had been involved in an incident last week, damaging several vehicles near the site’s cooling pond.

IAEA staff were later shown a truck allegedly hit in the attack but could not verify any damage due to their distance from the vehicle. They also did not observe any visible drone debris.

“If this report is confirmed, it would represent a completely unacceptable attack in the proximity of a major nuclear power plant. Whoever is behind such attacks is playing with fire. It must stop immediately,” Grossi said.

The Zaporizhzhya plant, Europe’s largest nuclear facility, has been under Russian control since early in the war but continues to be operated by Ukrainian staff under challenging conditions.

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