Drone Strike Near Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant Leaves One Dead, IAEA Reports
A drone explosion at a bus stop used by staff of Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant killed one person and injured several others on Tuesday, the IAEA said, with its chief calling for an immediate halt to attacks on nuclear facilities.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported on Tuesday that a drone detonated near a bus stop used by employees of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine, killing one person and wounding several others.
Citing the plant's director, the IAEA said on social media platform X that the blast occurred around 6 a.m. local time. According to the agency, 16 staff members and subcontractors were affected, with one fatality and three people suffering serious injuries. The plant's director described the incident as the most severe the facility has experienced.
It remains unclear whether the drone involved was launched by Russian or Ukrainian forces.
Plant's Background and Calls for Restraint
Zaporizhzhia is Europe's largest nuclear power station, housing six reactors. Russian troops took control of the facility during the opening weeks of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Since then, Moscow and Kyiv have repeatedly accused each other of endangering nuclear safety at the site.
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi addressed military commanders on both sides responsible for such actions, urging an immediate end to strikes targeting nuclear power stations and their personnel. He stressed that such actions pose serious risks to nuclear safety and security amid the ongoing conflict.
