Drone attack on Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant bus stop kills one

A bus stop used by staff of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) was targeted in a drone attack, killing one person and injuring 17 others, the plant said on Tuesday (18 August).

“Ukrainian forces launched an attack targeting a public transport stop in the city of Energodar. At the time, ZNPP employees were there, waiting for the bus that was supposed to take them to work for their shift,” the plant said in a statement.

Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi described the attack as “an unacceptable act” and added that it posed a risk to the safety of the nuclear plant.

According to Grossi, such actions contravene IAEA principles and create a serious risk to the nuclear safety and security of the plant amid the ongoing conflict.

The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, one of the largest nuclear facilities in Europe, has been under Russian control since March 2022. The plant has repeatedly faced nuclear safety challenges since the escalation of the Ukraine crisis.