On August 17, the nuclear safety situation at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) in the temporarily occupied Energodar deteriorated sharply after a drone attack. The Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, confirmed this information in his statement.
According to the information, the drone with explosives is believed to have hit the area near the ZNPP cooling ponds and about 100 meters from the Dnipro transmission line, the only kilovolt line that provides power to the nuclear plant. This highlights the seriousness of the incident, as any damage to the cooling or power supply area could significantly affect the safety of the facility.
IAEA specialists who arrived at the scene of the attack recorded damage that, according to their estimates, was caused by a drone explosion. Although civilians were not injured and ZNPP equipment was not damaged, the incident occurred between the two central gates of the plant, which increases the security threat.
Rafael Grossi emphasized the seriousness of the situation and called on all parties to exercise "maximum restraint". The IAEA Director General stressed the importance of avoiding further attacks or military actions near nuclear facilities to prevent potentially catastrophic consequences.
In addition, IAEA experts reported on intensive military activity in the vicinity of the ZNPP during the last week. The organization's team recorded frequent explosions, artillery, and rounds of heavy machine guns and rifles, which indicates the escalation of the conflict in the region.
