Zaporizhzhia attacked again amid Ukraine-Russia war: The nuclear risks from reckless military action

A drone strike at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant on Sunday (April 7) triggered a new crisis at the facility that has been repeatedly brought to the brink of disaster by the war between Russia and Ukraine.

Russia, which has been in control of the facility, Europe’s largest, for almost two years now, accused Ukraine of launching the attacks. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the global nuclear watchdog, confirmed there had been “at least three direct hits”, including on one of the six reactors at the plant, but did not say who was responsible.

While nuclear safety had not been compromised, “this is a serious incident with potential to undermine integrity of the reactor’s containment system”, the IAEA said. Director general Rafael Mariano Grossi said “such reckless attacks significantly increase the risk of a major nuclear accident and must cease immediately”.