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The UN’s nuclear watchdog said on Tuesday that there was “no impact on nuclear safety” after a drone struck the cooling tower of a Russian nuclear plant.
Russia’s nuclear operator, Rosenergoatom, said on Telegram that a “Ukrainian armed forces combat drone attempted to attack a cooling tower at the Novovoronezh Nuclear Power Plant” in central Russia during the night from Monday to Tuesday.
The agency added that the drone was “suppressed by technical means” near the plant, detonating on impact without causing damage or injuries, and the incident did not affect plant operations.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed it had been informed by Russia of the incident, stating there was “no change in radiation levels” at the site.
IAEA chief Rafael Grossi emphasised that nuclear power plants “must never be attacked.”
Rosenergoatom described the event as “another act of aggression by the Ukrainian Armed Forces against Russian nuclear power plants.” Ukraine has not issued an immediate comment.
Kyiv has increased strikes on Russian energy and oil infrastructure in retaliation for Moscow’s ongoing offensive and daily attacks on Ukrainian cities, which have left millions without heating and electricity at times.
Both Moscow and Kyiv have previously accused each other of targeting nuclear facilities during the three-and-a-half-year conflict, raising concerns about the risk of a nuclear incident.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, in the south of the country and occupied by Russian forces since 2022, has been offline from the power grid for two weeks and is currently dependent on backup generators to maintain cooling and other safety functions.
