The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has been notified of a drone strike targeting a laboratory at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) in Ukraine, which is the largest facility of its kind in Europe.
According to ZNPP officials, the External Radiation Control Laboratory (ERCL) was the target of the strike on Sunday. While the laboratory is located outside the main perimeter of the power plant, the incident has prompted renewed warnings regarding the vulnerability of the site.
Director General Rafael Grossi stated that no injuries were reported following the attack. However, he reiterated that any military action in the vicinity of nuclear facilities poses significant “nuclear safety risks.”
The IAEA team currently stationed at the ZNPP has requested access to the laboratory to conduct a formal assessment of the damage, which remains under investigation.
The ZNPP has been a focal point of safety concerns since it was seized by Russian forces in March 2022. Throughout the ongoing conflict, the site has been subjected to various missile and drone strikes, with both Russia and Ukraine frequently exchanging blame for the hostilities.
This latest incident follows a fatal drone attack on 27 April, which resulted in the death of a driver at the plant’s transport workshop.
Rosatom, Russia’s State Atomic Energy Corporation, which currently manages the facility, attributed the April strike to the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Rosatom described that event as a “great tragedy” and warned that such attacks represent a threat to both regional and global security.
