Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant may be on fire

The head of the UN’s atomic watchdog agency has condemned a drone strike on one of six nuclear reactors at the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant (ZNPP) in  Ukraine , saying such attacks “significantly increase the risk of a major nuclear accident”.In a  statement  on X, Rafael Grossi confirmed at least three direct hits against the ZNPP main reactor containment structures. “This cannot happen,” the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said.
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According to the plant authorities, there was no critical damage or casualties and radiation levels at the plant were normal after the strikes. Later on Sunday, however, Russian state-owned nuclear agency Rosatom said three people were wounded in the “unprecedented series of drone attacks”, specifically when a drone hit an area close to the site’s canteen.The IAEA said on Sunday that its experts had been informed of the drone strike and that “such detonation is consistent with IAEA observations”.In a separate statement, the nuclear watchdog confirmed the physical impact of drone attacks at the plant, including at one of its six reactors. One casualty was reported, it said. “Damage at unit 6 has not compromised nuclear safety, but this is a serious incident with potential to undermine integrity of the reactor’s containment system” it added.

Moscow has appealed to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), urging it to publicly record the recurring attacks by the Ukrainian army on the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant.
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Experts from the agency  said  the plant is now entirely dependent on the only remaining 750-kilowatt line for off-site power. The NPP reported that the loss of connection to the backup power line is being investigated, and noted that the radiation background at the station and the surrounding area so far remains unchanged.

The U.N. nuclear watchdog's Board of Governors will hold an emergency meeting on Thursday at the request of both Ukraine and Russia to discuss attacks on the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, after the enemies accused each other of drone attacks.

Russia said on Tuesday that Ukraine had again attacked the plant with drones, for a  third day . Kyiv said it had nothing to do with any such attacks, and any incidents were staged by Moscow.

Russia and Ukraine have repeatedly accused one another of targeting Zaporizhzhia since it was captured by Russian forces in the first weeks of Moscow's invasion of its neighbour in 2022; both sides deny attacking it.