As Ukraine and Russia blame each other for events at their respective nuclear power plants, the International Atomic Energy Agency director general asked that the “physical integrity of a nuclear power plant” be ensured by both sides.
Last week, Ukrainian forces crossed the border into the Kursk region of Russia, around the vicinity of the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant, in what is the largest invasion of Russian territory since the conflict escalated in 2022, according to Reuters.
Meanwhile, a fire erupted on Sunday at Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. While Kyiv said Russian forces, who have occupied the site since February 2022, started the fire, Moscow blamed the fire on Ukraine.
“I would like to appeal to all sides to exercise maximum restraint in order to avoid a nuclear accident with the potential for serious radiological consequences,” Rafael Grossi, the International Atomic Energy Agency’s director general, said in a statement.
The IAEA said in another statement to the website X that experts witnessed smoke coming from Zaporizhzhia’s northern area, which the plant said was due to an alleged drone strike on one of the cooling towers. IAEA said that “no impact has been reported for nuclear safety.”
Grossi said he is in contact with authorities from both countries, and would update the international community appropriately.