A reported drone strike hit the turbine building at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southeastern Ukraine, prompting the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to request access for on-site inspection. The facility, Europe’s largest with six reactors and a 6,000-megawatt capacity, has been under Russian control since March 2022 and fully shut down for safety. Russia’s Rosatom claims a Ukrainian kamikaze drone caused an explosion that damaged the wall of Unit 6’s turbine hall, calling the attack deliberate. Ukraine’s military denies involvement, stating no fighting occurred at that front section and calling the accusation a propaganda effort.

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi expressed serious concern, emphasizing that attacks on nuclear sites are extremely dangerous. The agency’s team on the ground has formally requested access to inspect the affected area, which would mark the first confirmed drone strike within the plant’s perimeter since April 2024. The IAEA has maintained a monitoring presence at the site since 2022 to prevent nuclear incidents amid ongoing conflict.

The Zaporizhzhia plant has repeatedly been caught in the crossfire, with power lines, infrastructure, and surrounding areas previously damaged during shelling. While no radiation leak has been reported from this incident, the proximity of military actions to critical nuclear infrastructure continues to raise alarms among international safety experts. The situation underscores the fragile security of occupied energy facilities in active war zones.