Kathmandu— A drone strike close to the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in occupied southeastern Ukraine killed one nuclear specialist and injured seventeen others on Tuesday, according to Russian authorities. Moscow alleges that Ukraine launched the drone, raising renewed concerns about the safety of the plant which has been under Russian control since early 2022. The incident occurred as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) prepared a visit to assess nuclear safety at the facility and amid ongoing conflict in the region. While initial reports indicate no damage to nuclear infrastructure, the strike is being described by Russian management of the plant as one of the most serious incidents in its history.

Heightened Nuclear Safety Concerns

Concern over the security of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant has been persistent since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began nearly five years ago. The facility, Europe's largest nuclear plant, was seized by Russian forces a month after the February 2022 invasion and has remained under their management ever since. The potential consequences of a strike on the plant – even without direct damage to reactors – have been a major worry throughout the war.

Details of the Attack

Most of those injured in Tuesday’s drone strike were employees of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, according to a Telegram update from Russian management. The IAEA confirmed reports that the attack hit staff members at a bus stop. Despite the impact, the UN's nuclear watchdog stated on social media that “no nuclear safety or security damage was reported.” However, the IAEA issued a strong condemnation of the strike and called for an immediate end to attacks targeting nuclear power plants and their personnel.

Broader Energy Infrastructure Under Fire

The drone strike near Zaporizhzhia came hours before reports emerged of a Russian attack on a thermal power plant in central Ukraine. DTEK, Ukraine’s largest energy provider, reported that the attack forced a halt to operations and caused “significant damage to equipment.” According to DTEK's Telegram channel, its thermal plants have been targeted 230 times since the start of the war as Russia wages a campaign against Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. No casualties were reported in this separate incident.

The IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi was scheduled to visit Zaporizhzhia to assess nuclear safety; it remains unclear whether that trip will proceed following Tuesday's attack.

(With inputs from Al Jazeera)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.