Moscow: Russia claimed on Monday that Ukraine conducted a drone attack against the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant and the nearby town of Enerhodar. A statement by the Russian Defense Ministry claimed that Ukraine's military carried out the attack on the power plant and the nearby town on Sunday with eight drones, which it claimed were all downed by Russian air defense systems.

According to Anadolu Agency, the Russian Defense Ministry stated that when one of the downed drones fell, it exploded and caught fire on the roof of the training center at the Zaporizhzhia NPP, adding that there were no casualties at the plant and that radiation levels remain normal. Moscow's statement came a day after Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), noted that IAEA staff at the nuclear power plant heard two loud explosions.

In a statement, Grossi mentioned that the IAEA has not yet been able to confirm any impact, but it is aware of the reports regarding the training center. The IAEA team present also reported hearing machine gun fire coming from the site on multiple occasions. Grossi emphasized that an attack on any nuclear power plant is completely unacceptable, calling for maximum restraint to avert dangers to the plant's safety.

Ukrainian authorities have not yet commented on the claims. Since September 1, 2022, IAEA personnel have been present at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, Europe's largest and one of the world's ten biggest, which has been under Russian control since March 2022. Concerns persist over a possible nuclear disaster between Moscow and Kyiv, both of which have frequently accused each other of attacks around the facility.