Occupied nuclear facility struck by Ukrainian drones

THREE Ukrainian “kamikaze drones” reportedly struck Zaporizhzhya nuclear power station yesterday, injuring a dozen employees and causing powerful explosions heard across the town.

Russia’s occupying forces were quick to insist that everything was fine.

Vladimir Rogov, one of the occupation officials, said three combat drones “launched a massive strike on the territory of the Zaporizhzhya power station”, estimating the payload of the drones to be equivalent to several kilos of TNT.

“The reactor has not been damaged. The radiation levels are normal,” he added.

At least 11 employees were injured in the attack, Energodar’s occupation administration said in a statement yesterday. There was no immediate independent confirmation of the incident.

Russia’s control of the Zaporizhzhya nuclear plant in Energodar has been an issue of international concern since Kremlin forces seized the area early on in the war. Ukrainian media outlets yesterday published videos showing plumes of black smoke rising near what has been described as a Russian military base.

Videos posted by Mr Rogov on social media showed a charred patch of grass near the power station and a small propeller nearby, but no sizeable damage.

Mr Rogov told the Russian television channel Solovyov Live the drones probably did not mean to strike the reactors, saying: “The main goal was to scare people and punish them for their views.”

Russian forces shelled the area close to the power station in late February before capturing most of the region.

Moscow has since invited experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency to inspect Europe’s largest nuclear power station but the IAEA had to scrap a visit last month after the Ukrainian government protested against the trip, saying it would amount to condoning Russian occupation.

Ukrainian authorities have accused Russia of putting pressure on the workers of the plant, which now reportedly hosts about 500 Russian soldiers and armoured vehicles.