Russia's Foreign Ministry indicated today, Saturday, that a Ukrainian drone collided with a nuclear waste storage facility at the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant in western Russia on Thursday, causing damage to its walls. The ministry urged other governments to condemn what it described as "an act of nuclear terrorism."
In a statement, the ministry noted that Kyiv must understand that its actions could have caused a widespread nuclear disaster affecting many countries. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said, "We call on all governments to issue a strong condemnation of Kyiv's barbaric actions, which are extremely dangerous and can lead to irreparable consequences."
Russia and Ukraine, both operating nuclear power plants, repeatedly accuse each other of risking a nuclear disaster through irresponsible attacks, while the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) closely monitors the situation in Ukraine in particular. Moscow announced on Friday that it had thwarted a drone attack in the south of the country, and two media outlets reported that an explosion damaged the facade of a warehouse used to store nuclear waste. Today's statement is the first official confirmation of the damage.
Zakharova stated that a drone loaded with explosives caused damage to the walls of the nuclear waste facility, while two other drones hit an administrative complex. She added, "According to initial data, the drones used in the attack on the nuclear power plant utilized components provided by Western countries," suggesting that such an attack must have been carried out with the approval of Ukraine’s allies or perhaps directed by them.
Following the attack, officials at the Kursk facility, located in a region bordering Ukraine, stated that no injuries occurred and that radiation levels and operations were normal. Ukrainian officials have not yet responded to requests for comment. Generally, Kyiv refrains from confirming or denying military operations on Russian territory.
