Risks of attacks on Kursk NPP 'very high': Russia's Rosatom CEO
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The head of Russia's state nuclear corporation says a large number of missiles are being intercepted in flight and many drones are being neutralized outside the Kursk NPP.
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This photograph shows a general view of the Kursk nuclear power plant on August 27, 2024. (AFP)
The risk of attacks on the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) remains extremely high, warned Alexey Likhachev, the CEO of Russia's state nuclear corporation, Rosatom, on Tuesday.
"So far, as of this minute, there have been no strikes on the station's buildings in the last few days. However, a large number of missiles are being intercepted in flight, and many drones are being neutralized outside the station. Therefore, we still assess the risks as very high," Likhachev told Rossiya 1.
On August 6, Ukrainian forces launched an offensive in Russia's Kursk Region. Russian President Vladimir Putin condemned the action as a large-scale provocation targeting civilians and vowed an appropriate response.
Moscow has also raised concerns with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) regarding the deteriorating security situation at the Kursk and Zaporizhzhya NPPs due to ongoing Ukrainian attacks.
Last week, the head of the UN nuclear watchdog Rafael Grossi visited the Kursk NPP and issued a warning about the potential for a serious accident following accusations from Russia that Ukraine had targeted the facility with drones.
Grossi warned during his visit that the NPP's proximity to ongoing fighting was "extremely serious". He said his tour enabled him to "look at the most important parts" of the plant, which is less than 50 kilometers (30 miles) from fighting between Russian and Ukrainian forces.
"A nuclear power plant of this type so close to a point of contact or military front is an extremely serious fact," Grossi said after visiting the plant.
"The fact we have military activity a few kilometers, a few miles away from here, make it an immediate point of attention," he added.
"At the end of the day, again, this may sound common sense and simple: Don't attack a nuclear power plant."
A couple of weeks ago, Putin accused Ukraine of trying to attack the Kursk NPP, with drone fragments found near its spent nuclear fuel storage facility.
Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) has warned that the Ukrainian forces are planning to use warheads containing radioactive materials to attack the Kursk and Zaporizhzhya NPPs.
Sergei Lebedev, the coordinator of a local pro-Russian underground network, has told Sputnik that the planned attacks on the NPPs are being overseen by Western intelligence services, particularly from the UK.
Read more: Russia to revise nuclear doctrine over West’s escalations: Ryabkov
