Russia has accused Ukraine of being responsible for an incident where a drone targeted the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant under Russian control.
According to Alexei Likhachev, the head of Russia’s state nuclear energy company Rosatom, a Ukrainian drone deliberately struck the turbine hall of Unit 6 at the plant. Likhachev stated that the drone was guided by fiber optics, indicating that it was not an accidental strike, as reported by the state-owned news agency RIA Novosti.
Although the explosion caused a hole in the turbine hall wall, no significant damage was done to the main equipment, as per the agency’s information.
The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the largest in Europe with six reactors and among the world’s top 10 in size, has been a focal point of concern for the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) during the conflict due to fears of a potential nuclear disaster.
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the plant has been under Russian authority, but it is currently not operational.
Greenpeace recently released a report indicating that Russia was constructing a high-voltage power line in areas of Ukraine’s Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions under Russian control. Shaun Burnie, a nuclear expert at Greenpeace Ukraine, expressed concern over these actions, stating they were evidence of Russia’s plans to restart the Zaporizhzhia plant illegally.
Despite these reports, an IAEA official mentioned that there have been no visible preparations by Russia to restart the plant. The official clarified that there was no current indication of active restart preparations at the plant.
Ukraine raised concerns about the reported power line project by sending a notification to the IAEA and its member states. Kyiv condemned the construction, labeling it a violation of international law and an encroachment on Ukraine’s sovereignty.
The statement by Kyiv emphasized that any operation of the plant without explicit authorization from the Ukrainian nuclear regulator would be illegal and pose a direct threat to nuclear safety. The actions were deemed as an unauthorized attempt by Russia to restart the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, which remains under Ukraine’s ownership.
The construction of the transmission line was strongly criticized by Ukraine, stating that it was a clear indication of Russia’s intentions and posed an unacceptable risk to nuclear safety.