Concern over the safety of Europe’s largest nuclear plant has been rife since Russia launched its full-scale struggle on Ukraine almost 5 years in the past.
Revealed On 18 Aug 2026
A drone strike near the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Energy Plant in occupied southeastern Ukraine has killed one nuclear specialist and wounded 17, in response to Russian experiences.
Moscow asserted on Tuesday that the drone was launched by Ukraine. The safety of Europe’s greatest nuclear plant has provoked vital international concern amid the full-scale struggle on Ukraine that Russia launched in February 2022.
Most of these injured by the strike have been workers of the plant, in response to a Telegram replace by the Russian administration of the nuclear facility. It asserted that the assault constituted some of the critical incidents within the plant’s historical past.
The Worldwide Atomic Power Company (IAEA) earlier confirmed experiences that the strike hit employees members at a bus cease.
“No nuclear security or safety harm was reported,” the IAEA, the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog, stated on social media.
Nevertheless, it known as “on navy commanders chargeable for these actions in addition to all others aiming on nuclear energy vegetation and/or their employees to place a right away cease to those unacceptable actions”, citing the “nice dangers to nuclear security”.
The Zaporizhzhia plant was seized by Russian forces a month after Moscow launched its invasion. The ability has been underneath Russian administration since.
The security of the plant – and the potential penalties of a success amid the hostilities – have been a priority for the reason that begin of the struggle.
Zaporizhzhia’s six reactors can produce almost six gigawatts of electrical energy, and the plant was essential to supplying energy to Ukraine’s nationwide grid. All the reactors have been shut down since Russia captured the plant, however a strike might trigger harm and doubtlessly trigger critical leaks of radioactive materials.
Tuesday’s strike got here forward of a scheduled go to by IAEA Director-Basic Rafael Grossi to evaluate nuclear security. It’s not clear if that go to will nonetheless happen.
A Russian strike on a thermal energy plant was reported in central Ukraine a number of hours later, forcing a halt to operations, in response to DTEK, Ukraine’s largest power supplier and the corporate that operates the plant.
No casualties have been reported, however DTEK said on social media that the assault induced “vital harm to tools”.
Russia has attacked the corporate’s thermal vegetation 230 instances for the reason that begin of the struggle, in response to DTEK’s Telegram channel, because it wages a marketing campaign to destroy Ukraine’s power infrastructure.
