Moscow, Russia has accused Ukraine of carrying out drone attacks against the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) on May 30 and 31, claiming the strikes endangered nuclear safety and security at Europe’s largest nuclear facility.
In a statement issued on June 1, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that a Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) struck the turbine hall of Unit 6 at the plant on May 30, followed by an attack on the facility’s transport workshop the next day.
According to Zakharova, the incidents narrowly avoided causing casualties or significant damage to critical infrastructure. She described the attacks as evidence of what Moscow calls Kyiv’s willingness to undertake actions that could threaten nuclear safety.
The Russian Foreign Ministry argued that the alleged strikes demonstrated a readiness by Ukrainian forces to take increasingly risky measures, including those that could affect the security of nuclear facilities. Moscow also criticized Western countries for continuing military support to Ukraine, claiming that weapons supplied by Kyiv’s allies could be used in attacks against nuclear infrastructure.
Zakharova called on the International Atomic Energy Agency and its Director General, Rafael Grossi, to provide what she described as a fair assessment of the alleged attacks. She said the agency should clearly identify responsibility for actions that Russia claims threaten the safety of the plant.
The statement further asserted that Russia would continue efforts to ensure the safe operation of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, which has remained a focal point of international concern throughout the conflict.
Ukraine had not immediately commented on the allegations at the time of the statement. Independent verification of the reported incidents was not available.