Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency: Attacks that undermine nuclear safety are unacceptable

On July 2, International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Grossi stated that recent drone attacks near the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant threaten the emergency response capabilities of the plant, and such attacks are "unacceptable."

In a statement from the International Atomic Energy Agency, Grossi noted that the agency's team stationed at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant confirmed this week that a fire station in the nearby city of Enerhodar was severely damaged. This fire station is crucial for ensuring the emergency response capabilities of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, as it provides important backup support for the plant's own fire brigade in the event of a large-scale emergency.

The statement said the drone attack occurred on June 30, and the next day the International Atomic Energy Agency team went to the site to inspect, finding that the fire station building and several fire trucks had been damaged, severely weakening the operational capacity of the fire station.

Grossi warned, "Any attack that undermines nuclear safety and emergency capabilities is unacceptable."

The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant is one of the largest nuclear power plants in Europe. After the escalation of the Ukraine crisis in February 2022, Russian forces took control of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. Since then, the plant has been subjected to multiple shelling or drone attacks, raising concerns in the international community about its safety.