Photo credit: AP
Ukraine on Sunday rejected Russian claims that it had carried out a drone strike on the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, as both sides exchanged accusations following fresh attacks amid the ongoing war.The denial came after the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said a drone struck the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine, citing information from the facility’s Russian-installed operator. According to the operator, a drone hit the turbine building on Saturday, “reportedly causing a hole in its wall”.Zaporizhzhia, Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, was seized by Russian forces in the early weeks of the 2022 invasion and remains near the front line in southern Ukraine.Russia’s state nuclear energy company Rosatom accused Ukraine of carrying out a deliberate attack. Rosatom chief Alexei Likhachev said, “This afternoon, a Ukrainian kamikaze combat drone struck the turbine hall building of Power Unit No. 6, resulting in a detonation.” He added that the plant’s main equipment was not damaged.Kyiv swiftly denied the allegation, with Ukraine’s military calling it “yet another propaganda ploy”. It said it had neither struck nor targeted the facility and stressed that it understands the “consequences of any actions targeting nuclear facilities” and adheres to international humanitarian law.”Along the relevant section of the front line, there was no active fighting at the time of the incident, and no weapons were used,” the military said.Ukraine’s foreign ministry also dismissed the accusation, saying it lacked “logic”.”It is unclear why Ukraine would strike its own nuclear power plant located on its own territory, which it itself seeks to regain under its sovereign control,” the ministry said.IAEA director general Rafael Grossi voiced “serious concern” over the reported strike and reiterated the need to protect nuclear facilities during the conflict.”There should be no attack of any kind from or against the plant,” Grossi said, adding, “Attacking nuclear sites is like playing with fire.”Ukraine’s state nuclear supervisory agency said the reported damage should be independently verified by IAEA experts stationed at the plant as part of the agency’s long-term monitoring mission.The Zaporizhzhia facility has remained a focal point of concern throughout the war, with both Moscow and Kyiv repeatedly accusing each other of attacks around the site, fuelling fears of a potential nuclear accident.The incident came as Ukraine and Russia reported fresh attacks overnight.Russian authorities said drone debris sparked a fire at a fuel storage facility in the Rostov region, prompting the evacuation of nearby residents. Damage was also reported to civilian infrastructure in the Saratov region. Independent Russian outlet Astra reported that an oil refinery in the regional capital was on fire, according to AP.Meanwhile, Ukraine’s air force said it shot down 212 of the 299 drones launched by Russia overnight. It said 14 drones reached their targets, while debris fell at five locations.Russian drone attacks also hit the city of Dnipro and an oil refinery in Ukraine’s Rivne region, triggering fires. Rivne regional governor Oleksandr Koval said no injuries were reported at the refinery.
