Ukrainian drone attacked near Zaporizhia nuclear plant, Russia claimed

Russia said Ukraine was risking a nuclear disaster after Russian forces shot down nine Ukrainian drones near the Zaporizhia nuclear station, Europe’s largest nuclear power plant. The Zaporizhia plant, which has been under Russian control since early March 2022. There are six Soviet-designed VVER-1000 V-320 water-cooled and water-moderated reactors containing uranium 235. According to the Russian operator of the plant, four reactors have shut down while two reactors – No. 4 and No. 5 – are in so-called ‘hot shutdown’ mode.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said in a statement that the Kiev regime continues to carry out provocations aimed at creating a threat of disaster at the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant and disrupting the rotation of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) staff. Russian air defense forces have shot down nine Ukrainian drones near the Russian-held city of Enrhodar, the ministry said. The IAEA has repeatedly said that the world is lucky.

So far this has happened at the Zaporizhia plant, where the agency says nuclear safety remains extremely delicate. Shortly after sending troops to Ukraine in 2022, Russian forces took control of the Zaporizhia station. Both Ukraine and Russia have accused each other of attacking the station.