Ukrainian drone attack 'seriously' damaged Zaporozhye NPP
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The Ukrainian attack on the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant severely damaged the facility, though the local authorities managed to extinguish the fire.
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The Zaporozhye nuclear power plant, Europe's largest, is seen in the background of the shallow Kakhovka Reservoir after the dam collapse, in Energodar, June 27, 2023. (AP)
A recent attack by the Ukrainian Armed Forces has sparked a serious fire and caused significant damage to the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) plant, spokesperson Yevgeniya Yashina said on Sunday.
The incident breached the plant's physical integrity, marking a first in the history of the facility and threatening the foundational principles of nuclear safety as outlined by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the spokesperson added.
The attack, which took place late on August 11, involved Ukrainian kamikaze drones targeting one of the two cooling towers at the ZNPP. The resulting strikes caused a fire, severely damaging the tower's internal structures.
⚡️Tonight an attack by a Ukrainian UAV caused fire in the area of cooling systems of the Zaporozhskaya NPP (#ZNPP)
— Russian Mission Vienna (@mission_rf) August 11, 2024
Russia will insist that #IAEA names the perpetrator of this attack in the area of the ZNPP
❌ Further silencing of this fact only condones Kiev’s sense of impunity pic.twitter.com/ymFJxeahAf
Emergency response teams worked diligently to contain the fire, which was extinguished by 11:30 PM local time, according to the Russian state corporation Rosatom.
Yashina emphasized the gravity of the situation, describing the attack as a deliberate attempt to disable the station. "This is an unprecedented threat to nuclear safety, as the nuclear power plant has suffered such serious damage for the first time," she stated. She also underlined that the IAEA's basic principles had been breached due to the damage to the plant's infrastructure.
Fire persists at Zaporozhye NPP
— RT (@RT_com) August 11, 2024
Details: https://t.co/x1d3bR9ixB pic.twitter.com/xhOSjzMLAO
"Today's strike was carried out on NPP equipment critical for cooling water during normal plant operations. This can only be described as an act of nuclear terrorism by the Ukrainian authorities," Rosatom said in a statement on Monday.
Despite the significant damage to the cooling tower, the ZNPP's press service reported that the operation of the plant was not affected, and no casualties were recorded. The fire was localized, and no further threat of burning was present. The IAEA experts, who witnessed the aftermath of the strike, observed strong smoke emanating from the northern area of the plant after several explosions erupted.
The governor of Russia's Zaporozhye region, Yevgeny Balitsky, initially reported the fire at the ZNPP's cooling system facility, assuring there was no immediate threat to the plant.
Not the first nuclear rodeo
Although this is the first time that Ukraine has attacked the ZNPP's infrastructure, it is not the first time they have attacked its premises. Back in April, Ukrainian kamikaze drones targeted the ZNPP premises following an IAEA inspection of the facility.
According to a statement, the drone strike was "recorded in the canteen sector located on the territory of the Zaporizhzhia NPP. A truck unloading food was damaged...Another strike was recorded in the cargo port."
Rosatom urged the IAEA chief, Director General Rafael Grossi, and European Union leaders to "immediately respond to a direct threat to the safety of the Zaporizhzhia NPP and categorically condemn the attempt to escalate the situation around Europe's largest nuclear power plant."
