Russian state nuclear agency Rosatom said a Ukrainian drone struck the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant on Monday, the latest in a series of incidents at the facility that has been under Russian control since the early days of the invasion.
What Rosatom said
Rosatom released a brief statement claiming a drone hit the plant's territory. It did not specify which part of the facility was struck or whether any equipment was damaged. The agency offered no evidence for its claim, and Ukrainian officials have not responded to the report.
No independent verification
The claim could not be independently verified. The plant is located in occupied territory, and international monitors have limited access. Rosatom has previously accused Ukraine of shelling the site, while Kyiv has denied such attacks and accused Russian forces of using the plant as a military base.
A direct hit on a nuclear reactor or spent fuel storage could trigger a radiation release. The Zaporizhzhia plant, Europe's largest, has been a persistent safety concern since Russian troops seized it in March 2022. Both sides have traded blame for repeated shelling and drone activity near the facility, though no major radiation incident has occurred so far.
Rosatom did not say whether the drone strike caused any damage or if operations at the plant were affected. Without independent inspection, the full extent of the incident remains unclear. The International Atomic Energy Agency has inspectors at the site but has not yet commented on Monday's reported strike.
