World · World News Bureau
Russia claims Ukrainian drone strike near Zaporizhzhia nuclear facility
Russian officials reported a drone attack in the vicinity of Europe's largest nuclear power station, adding to longstanding concerns about the facility's safety since the 2022 invasion began.
LSN World News ·
Russia's defense ministry alleged that Ukrainian forces conducted a drone strike near the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southeastern Ukraine on Thursday, though independent verification of the claim was not immediately available.
The assertion marks the latest in a series of incidents raising international alarm about the security of the facility, which has been under Russian control since the opening weeks of the full-scale military campaign launched in February 2022. Both Moscow and Kyiv have repeatedly accused each other of endangering the nuclear installation through military operations in the region.
The International Atomic Energy Agency has expressed persistent concerns about potential risks to the plant's safe operation amid the ongoing conflict. Nuclear safety experts have warned that damage to critical infrastructure at the facility could pose serious environmental and public health consequences across Eastern Europe.
The Zaporizhzhia plant, comprising six reactors, normally supplies a significant share of Ukraine's electricity. Its status as a strategic location has made it a point of contention throughout the conflict, with calls from the United Nations and international community for its demilitarization and protection.