The military administration in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, reported that air defense units were seen thwarting a Russian aerial attack on the city early Sunday. Kyiv and the surrounding area, as well as most of central and northeastern Ukraine, have been under air raid alerts since dawn today. Additionally, the governor of Rostov announced on Sunday that a Ukrainian drone attack caused a fire at a fuel depot.
**Safety Situation at Zaporizhia Deteriorates**
In this context, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) warned on Saturday that the safety situation at the Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine is "deteriorating" following a drone strike. Earlier on Saturday, Russia accused Ukraine of dropping an explosive payload on a road near the occupied facility in southern Ukraine. The plant, under Russian control, has experienced repeated attacks, with both sides accusing each other of carrying them out.
The IAEA stated in a report that its experts on-site were informed of the explosion that occurred near key facilities at the plant on Saturday and visited the site immediately. They reported that the damage "appears to be from a drone equipped with an explosive payload," which affected the road between the plant's two main gates.
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said in a statement, "Once again, we are witnessing an escalation in the risks threatening nuclear safety and security at the Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant." He noted that the agency's team on-site reported "intensive" military activity in the area over the past week, including near the plant.
Last Sunday, Kyiv and Moscow exchanged blame over a fire outbreak in a cooling system at the Zaporizhia nuclear plant. The Zaporizhia plant is the largest nuclear facility in Europe and has been occupied by Russian forces since March 2022. It is located in Enerhodar on the banks of the Dnipro River, which serves as a natural contact line between the two sides in the conflict.
Moscow has repeatedly accused Ukrainian forces of deliberately shelling the facility, an accusation Kyiv denies. In turn, Ukraine accuses Russia of turning the plant into a military facility by deploying heavy weapons in its grounds. The IAEA has repeatedly called for restraint, fearing that any "reckless" military action could lead to a "major nuclear incident."
