Russia claimed on Monday that Ukraine conducted a drone attack against the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant and the nearby town of Enerhodar.
A statement by the Russian Defense Ministry claimed that Ukraine鈥檚 military carried out the attack on the power plant and the nearby town on Sunday with eight drones, which it claimed were all downed by Russian air defense systems.
鈥淲hen one of the downed drones fell, it exploded and caught fire on the roof of the training center of the Zaporizhzhia NPP,鈥� the statement further said, indicating there were no casualties at the plant and that radiation levels are normal.
Moscow鈥檚 statement came a day after Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said that IAEA staff at the nuclear power plant heard two loud explosions.
In a statement, Grossi said the agency has not yet been able to confirm any impact, but that it is aware of the reports regarding the training center, and that the IAEA team present also reported hearing machine gun fire coming from the site 鈥渙n multiple occasions.鈥�
鈥嬧嬧嬧嬧嬧嬧嬧淎n attack on any nuclear power plant is completely unacceptable,鈥� Grossi said, calling for 鈥渕aximum restraint鈥� to avert dangers to the plant鈥檚 safety.
Ukrainian authorities have not yet commented on the claims.
Since Sept. 1, 2022, IAEA personnel have been present at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, Europe鈥檚 largest and one of the world鈥檚 10 biggest, which has been under Russian control since March 2022.
Concerns persist over a possible nuclear disaster between Moscow and Kyiv, both of which have frequently accused each other of attacks around the facility.鈥嬧嬧嬧嬧嬧嬧�
By Burc Eruygur
Anadolu Agency