Grossi: Safety at Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is deteriorating

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said that safety at Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is deteriorating. The main reason is said to be a recent attack by a Ukrainian drone that struck the perimeter access road.

According to a statement by the Russian news agency, a Ukrainian drone attacked infrastructure at the nuclear power plant on 17 August. It dropped an explosive device onto a road used by the plant's staff.

Russia has occupied the Zaporizhzhia plant site since February 2022, when the country launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Since then, electricity generation at the plant declined until it was completely halted. The plant is now effectively inactive, but it needs an external power supply to ensure that nuclear material remains cool and does not melt down.

Moscow and Kyiv have also repeatedly accuse each other of trying to sabotage its operations and endanger safety around the plant.

Water from the Dnieper is crucial for cooling the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which also uses a reservoir on the plant site for this purpose. Source: IAEA

"I remain very concerned and reiterate my call for maximum restraint by all sides and strict adherence to the five specific principles established to protect the plant," Grossi said in light of the latest events.

According to the IAEA, the missile landed in the immediate vicinity of water spray ponds and about 100 meters from the Dniprovska power line, which at the time was the only remaining 750kV line supplying the plant.

There were no casualties in the attack, and no key equipment at the nuclear power plant was damaged. However, the road connecting the plant's two main gates was significantly damaged. Moscow wants to discuss the attack on the Zaporizhzhia plant with the IAEA, the Russian news agency RIA reported, citing Roman Ustinov, Russia's acting representative in Vienna.

Russia's Kursk region is also at risk

The attack took place as Ukraine continues its incursion into Russia and claims to have taken control of 82 settlements covering an area of 1150 square kilometers in the Kursk region since 6 August.

Russia has also accused Ukraine of planning an attack on the nuclear power plant in the Kursk region. The Russian Ministry of Defense said it would respond forcefully to any attack on the Kursk plant. However, the Russian side provided no evidence to support its accusation.

"We are seeing another wave of insane Russian propaganda about alleged Ukrainian plans to use 'dirty bombs' or attack nuclear power plants. We officially reject these false claims," Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi said on X.