Russia says Ukraine hit 2 facilities at Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant

On Monday night, Ukrainian drones launched an attack on two facilities at the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southeastern Ukraine, according to Rosatom, Russia's state nuclear corporation. Rosatom's chief, Alexei Likhachev, confirmed that a driver delivering supplies to plant workers was killed during the drone assault.

The targeted sites were a laboratory building and a facility for processing radioactive waste, Likhachev stated. Ukraine has not released any official statement regarding the incident. Earlier this week, the plant's management disclosed that recent Ukrainian shelling had damaged external power supply equipment, with the plant currently relying on emergency diesel generators for electricity.

The Zaporizhzhia plant, Europe's largest with six reactors, does not generate power and requires electricity supplied via two external links to maintain the cooling of nuclear fuel. Russia had taken control of the plant in the early stages of the war that began in February 2022 when Russia invaded Ukraine. Both Russia and Ukraine have repeatedly accused one another of actions that could threaten nuclear safety.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the UN's nuclear watchdog, has consistently worked to secure a ceasefire around the plant to allow for necessary repairs to the power lines connecting the plant to the main grid. The UN monitors the Zaporizhzhia plant, alongside three other reactors in Ukraine. The Russian foreign ministry spokesperson, Maria Zakharova, criticized the West for not publicly condemning Ukrainian attacks on the plant in a statement on her ministry's website.

Zakharova argued that the lack of a strong response from Western countries has enabled new attacks. She implied that the statements made by officials from Western countries about nuclear and physical safety at international forums do not reflect their true commitment to such issues.