Drone strike near Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant escalates safety concerns, says IAEA

GENEVA — The nuclear safety situation at Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is worsening after a drone strike hit the road around the site’s perimeter, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported on Saturday.

The strike occurred just outside the facility’s protected area, near essential cooling water sprinkler ponds and the crucial Dniprovska power line, which supplies electricity to the plant.

The IAEA Support and Assistance Mission to Zaporizhzhia, which is located in a Russian-controlled area, confirmed that the damage was likely caused by a drone carrying an explosive payload.

Although there were no casualties and no direct impact on the plant’s equipment, the explosion damaged the road between the facility’s two main gates. The IAEA also noted an increase in military activity near the plant in the past week.

IAEA chief Rafael Mariano Grossi expressed deep concern over the escalating risks to the nuclear plant, urging all parties to exercise maximum restraint and adhere to the principles established for the protection of the facility. — Agencies