The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported that its team stationed at the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant heard intense shelling and observed black smoke rising from three nearby locations. Plant staff confirmed that several shells struck the area surrounding the facility, raising concerns once again about the risks of fighting near Europe’s largest nuclear site.
Located on the left bank of the Dnepr River near the city of Energodar, the Zaporozhye plant is the largest nuclear power station in Europe in terms of reactor count and installed capacity. In October 2022, the facility came under Russian control, and since then it has been repeatedly targeted by Ukrainian armed forces, according to Moscow.
Russian media later reported that a fire broke out at the plant’s fuel storage facilities following the shelling, but was swiftly extinguished. The IAEA has consistently warned that continued hostilities near the site pose a serious threat to nuclear safety and regional security.
