IAEA says drone attacks on Zaporizhzhia did not compromise reactor safety

VIENNA: Drone attacks on Sunday on the Russian-held Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine caused damage to the building housing one of its six reactors but nuclear safety was not compromised, the UN nuclear watchdog said on the social media platform X.

“One casualty reported. Damage at unit 6 has not compromised nuclear safety, but this is a serious incident w/ potential to undermine integrity of the reactor’s containment system,” the International Atomic Energy Agency said. Its chief Rafael Grossi added there had been three “direct hits” to such structures.

A Ukrainian intelligence official was quoted as saying on Sunday that Kyiv had nothing to do with incidents at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant after Russia accused Kyiv of attacking the facility.

“Ukraine is not involved in any kind of armed provocations on the territory of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant illegally occupied by Russia,” Andriy Yusov, spokesperson for Ukraine’s Main Directorate of Intelligence, told the Ukrainska Pravda media outlet.