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UN Condemns Drone Strike on Nuclear Reactor in Ukraine, Raises Concerns of Potential Nuclear Accident
The head of the U.N.’s atomic watchdog agency warned that such attacks “significantly increase the risk of a major nuclear accident.”
Rafael Mariano Grossi, the head of the U.N.’s atomic watchdog agency, has strongly denounced a drone strike on a nuclear reactor at the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine. Grossi warned that such attacks “significantly increase the risk of a major nuclear accident.”
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Confirming at least three direct hits on the ZNPP main reactor containment structures, Grossi emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating, “This cannot happen.” The attack marks the first of its kind since November 2022, following Grossi’s establishment of five basic principles aimed at preventing serious nuclear accidents with radiological consequences.
Officials at the power plant attributed the attack to Ukrainian military drones, reporting a strike on the dome of the plant’s sixth power unit. Despite initial reports of no critical damage or casualties, Russian state-owned nuclear agency Rosatom later disclosed that three individuals were wounded during the “unprecedented series of drone attacks,” notably near the site’s canteen.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) corroborated reports of the drone strike, affirming that the detonation aligns with its observations. While damage at unit 6 has not compromised nuclear safety, the IAEA underscored the incident’s seriousness, highlighting the potential risk to the reactor’s containment system integrity.
The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, Europe’s largest, has been embroiled in conflict since Russia’s incursion into Ukraine in 2022. Amid ongoing hostilities, concerns over a potential nuclear catastrophe have heightened, with both Ukraine and Russia exchanging accusations of attacking the facility, situated close to the front lines.
In addition to the nuclear plant incident, casualties were reported in other conflict-affected areas. Three individuals lost their lives when their residence was struck by a Russian projectile in the front-line town of Huliaipole, while two others sustained injuries in subsequent shelling. Furthermore, three individuals were wounded in Russian shelling in Ukraine’s northeast Kharkiv region.
Meanwhile, tragedy struck in Russia’s Belgorod region bordering Ukraine, where a girl died and four others were wounded after debris from a downed Ukrainian drone fell on a family’s car, resulting in fatalities and injuries.
The escalation of violence in Ukraine underscores the urgent need for diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions and mitigate the humanitarian and safety risks posed by the ongoing conflict.
