Zaporizhzhia plant attack risked ‘major nuclear’ event

A DRONE attack on Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant has raised the risk of a “major nuclear accident”, the director-general of the United Nations’ atomic watchdog has warned.

Rafael Grossi on Sunday confirmed at least three direct hits had struck one of six reactors at the Russian-controlled plant, the largest in Europe. Moscow blamed Ukraine for the attack, which it said injured at least three people.

Maria Zakharova, Russia’s foreign ministry spokesman, urged world leaders to condemn the act of “nuclear terrorism”. Kyiv has denied any involvement in the strike.

“Russian strikes, including imitation ones, on the territory of the Ukrainian nuclear power plant ... have long been a well known criminal practice of the invaders,” Andriy Yusov, a spokesman for Ukraine’s HUR military intelligence, said. “The aggressor state is once again endangering the nuclear facility, civilians and the environment of the whole of Europe.” The Telegraph could not immediately verify either side’s claims. Ukrainian and Russian officials have repeatedly blamed each other for attacks on the plant, in the city of Enerhodar, since it was captured by Russian forces shortly after their 2022 invasion.

“This cannot happen,” Mr Grossi said. “No one can conceivably benefit or get any military or political advantages from attacks against nuclear facilities. This is a no go. I firmly appeal to military decision makers to abstain from any action violating the basic principles that protect nuclear facilities.”

The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency added it was the first such attack since November 2022, when he set out five principles to avoid a serious nuclear accident. Mr Grossi did not publicly blame Ukraine or Russia for the attack, which he described as “reckless” and a “major escalation”.

Officials at the plant said that the site was attacked on Sunday by Ukrainian military drones, including a strike on the dome of its sixth power unit. There was neither critical damage nor casualties and that radiation levels at the facility were normal after the strike.

‘No one can conceivably benefit from attacks against nuclear facilities. This is a no go’