Ukrainian drones reportedly came within a whisker of triggering a major incident at a nuclear facility under Russian control.
Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZPP) is the biggest such power station in Europe and was captured by Vladimir Putin’s forces at the beginning of the war.
The plant has repeatedly come under attack, prompting concerns that a catastrophic nuclear disaster is just around the corner.
Ukraine‘s army claims Russia is using the plant to launch drone and artillery strikes against its forces on the opposite bank of the Dnipro River.
On Wednesday, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported that drones had allegedly struck the vicinity of the power plant, citing the administration of the occupied facility.
The strike reportedly caused a fire in forests close to the area, while eight workers were also injured.
Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), once again warned both sides of the potential disastrous consequences of the continuing shelling in the area.
He said: “It is extremely concerning that these drone attacks are continuing, despite the very clear dangers they present to people in Enerhodar as well as to safety at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. They must stop immediately.”
The IAEA has stationed observers at the nuclear facility since September 2022, but they have been denied full access to the plant by the Russian authorities.
The monitoring teams reported seeing thick smoke rising near the facility and heard explosions, after they were told of the attack.
Ukrainian officials have not commented on the latest Russian claims and have dismissed previous ones as Kremlin propaganda.
The attack damaged an electrical substation, taking it out of service. However, the city of Enerhodar still had access to electricity.
Throughout its occupation, the plant has been repeatedly disconnected from the Ukrainian power grid due to Russian attacks on the country’s energy infrastructure.
Shelling and fires near the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant recently destroyed an external radiation monitoring station, the IAEA reported on June 27.
IAEA inspectors said they were unable to visit the off-site monitoring station to confirm the reported damage due to ongoing fighting in the area.
Energoatom, Ukraine‘s nuclear agency, said in May that the plant should be handed over to them so as to avoid a nuclear disaster.