Kyiv: Ukraine has denied accusations by Moscow that it launched a drone strike on the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, an alleged attack which Russia's state nuclear corporation claimed left a hole in the facility's turbine building.
According to Anadolu Agency, a Ukrainian Foreign Ministry statement late Saturday described the accusations as 'baseless,' arguing that the claims are 'another information operation' aimed at distracting the international community's attention from Russia's control over the plant during the ongoing war. The statement highlighted the lack of logic in the Russian accusations, questioning why Ukraine would target its own nuclear plant, which it seeks to reclaim under its sovereign control.
Ukraine has also accused Russia of refusing to provide 'full and unhindered access' to all areas of the power plant for international experts. The statement criticized Russia's demand for trust in its reports about events at the facility while denying access to inspectors. Ukraine has called on the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) Board of Governors to respond decisively to Moscow's actions and urged members to oppose granting Russia a seat at the IAEA body during their session in June.
Ukraine's Southern Defense Forces also refuted Russia's claims, describing them as 'another information provocation' and asserted there were no active hostilities in the relevant section of the front line. The defense forces emphasized that Ukrainian servicemen operate strictly within the norms of international humanitarian law and are cognizant of the consequences of any actions on nuclear facilities.
Earlier, Alexey Likhachev, head of Russia's state atomic energy corporation Rosatom, alleged that a Ukrainian combat drone struck the turbine building of Zaporizhzhia's sixth power unit, causing an explosion that damaged the turbine hall wall. Likhachev warned that continued attacks on nuclear facilities could escalate into a serious nuclear incident affecting regions far beyond Russia and Ukraine.
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi confirmed the agency's receipt of information about the drone strike at the site. Grossi warned that attacking nuclear sites is akin to 'playing with fire' and stated that the IAEA's team at the plant has requested access to inspect the affected turbine building. The organization noted that this would be the first drone attack within the plant's perimeter since April 2024.
The IAEA reported observing damage to the exterior of a turbine building during a site walk-down on Sunday, consistent with a drone impact. The agency has requested further access to the building for additional examination and confirmed that radiation levels at the site remain normal.
The situation around the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, Europe's largest and one of the world's top ten, remains tense. Concerns persist over a potential nuclear disaster, with Moscow and Kyiv frequently accusing each other of attacks around the facility. Since September 1, 2022, IAEA personnel have been stationed at the plant, which has been under Russian control since March 2022.