Drone kills one at Zaporizhzhia bus stop: IAEA
|
The International Atomic Energy Agency says a drone has exploded at a bus stop used by staff of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, killing one and injuring several others.
The IAEA, the United Nations’ nuclear power watchdog, in a statement on X also said the plant’s director described the incident as “the worst event the plant has faced”.
The agency, citing the plant’s director, said the explosion at about 6am caused 16 casualties among staff and subcontractors, including one death and three serious injuries.
The Russian-installed management of the power plant blamed Ukraine on Tuesday for the fatal attack in the town of Enerhodar.
The bus stop was hit as people were waiting for transport to the plant, a statement by the Russian management said.
Seventeen people were injured, it said.
There was no immediate comment from Ukrainian authorities.
Russian forces seized the station, Europe’s largest with six reactors, in the first weeks of their February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, and each side has since regularly accused the other of actions compromising nuclear safety.
Among recent military incidents, water supplies to parts of the power station were hit in July.
IAEA director general Rafael Grossi on Tuesday called on “military commanders responsible for these actions as well as all others aiming on nuclear power plants and/or their staff to put an immediate stop to these unacceptable actions”.
They “constitute great risks to nuclear safety and security during the conflict,” he said.
Reuters