IAEA Confirms Drone Attack on Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant Laboratory
On May 3, Xinhua News Agency reported from Vienna (reporters Yu Tao and Yue Yuanyuan) that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed on the 3rd that it received a report from the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant stating that a drone attack occurred on the external radiation monitoring laboratory of the plant that day.
The IAEA stated on social media that it has not yet received any reports of casualties, and it is still unclear whether the attack caused any damage to the laboratory. The laboratory is located outside the walls of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. The IAEA's on-site team has requested to enter the laboratory for inspection.
IAEA Director General Grossi reiterated that any attack occurring near nuclear facilities could pose a nuclear safety risk.
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.
On May 3, 2023, a drone attacked the external radiation monitoring laboratory of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. The International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed the incident but reported no casualties and is assessing potential damage. This attack raises concerns about nuclear safety in the region, especially given the plant's strategic importance and previous incidents of military activity nearby.
- IAEA confirmed a drone attack on the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant's external laboratory.
- No casualties reported from the attack.
- The laboratory is located outside the plant's walls.
- IAEA has requested access to assess the damage.
- The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant is the largest in Europe.