Ukrainian drone strike kills worker at nuclear plant, Russia claims

A Ukrainian drone strike Monday on the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant complex killed a transport worker, the site’s Moscow-installed authorities said.

Zaporizhzhia is the biggest nuclear power plant in Europe. Moscow and Kyiv have repeatedly accused each other of risking a nuclear catastrophe with attacks since it was captured by Russia’s forces in 2022.

“Today, a driver was killed in a strike by a Ukrainian armed forces drone on the transport shop floor of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant,” the plant’s press service said on Telegram.

The plant — which is in cold shutdown — is close to the front line in southern Ukraine. Its fate is a major sticking point in stalled talks on ending the war.

Ukrainian state nuclear company Energoatom said Sunday that the plant’s “power transmission line was disconnected, causing the pl ant to switch to blackout mode” for an hour and a half.

“This is already the 15th blackout at the Zaporizhzhia NPP since its occupation. Each such incident significantly increases nuclear and radiation safety risks not only for Ukraine, but for Europe in general.”

Ukraine on Sunday marked the 40th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, with President Volodymyr Zelensky accusing Russia of sending drones at the site that he said amounted to “nuclear terrorism”.

AFP

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