IAEA Confirms Drone Strike at Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant... No Signs of Radioactive Leakage
Russia Criticizes Ukraine for "Deliberate Attack"
Escalation Concerns in Eastern Europe... Drone Strike Damage Spreads
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has confirmed evidence of drone strikes at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine, but stated that there are no signs of radioactive leakage. However, attacks are now expanding to include energy facilities such as nuclear power plants, and damage from air raids in neighboring countries is also increasing. There are growing concerns about a possible escalation involving Russia's westward advances and potential broader conflict with North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) member states in Europe.
On May 31 (local time), the IAEA said in a statement, "The IAEA inspection team dispatched to the Zaporizhzhia plant confirmed evidence of damage outside the turbine building earlier this morning," and added, "So far, there are no indications of increased radiation levels." The agency further stated, "The team on site identified damage to a metal access door located on the upper floor of the building, and also found remnants of a drone and burned fiber optic debris in the vicinity."
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said, "A fundamental nuclear safety principle has been violated," and urged both Ukraine and Russia, "Attacks targeting nuclear facilities must never happen. Military attacks on nuclear infrastructure must be stopped immediately."
This nuclear power plant has been under Russian military control since September 2022. The Russian side claims that Ukraine deliberately attacked the Zaporizhzhia facility. Rosatom, Russia's state nuclear energy corporation, said in a statement, "Ukraine intentionally targeted the Zaporizhzhia plant," emphasizing, "Since the drone was controlled via a fiber optic cable that cannot be hacked, it was unlikely to have crashed accidentally."
The Ukrainian side refuted these claims. The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement, "We have no reason to attack a power plant located on our own territory," and criticized, "Russia's assertions are considered an information operation lacking logical grounds."
As the dispute between the two sides continues, damage in neighboring countries is also increasing. According to CNN, on May 29, a Russian drone struck an apartment building in the Galati region of eastern Romania, injuring two people. The Romanian government immediately considered invoking Article 4 of the NATO treaty for emergency consultations among member states, but postponed the decision out of concern that it could signal an escalation.
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Russia has issued harsh criticisms toward European countries, even hinting at the possibility of further escalation. Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of Russia's Security Council, said, "Just like citizens of a country at war, European Union (EU) citizens should not go to bed expecting a peaceful night," and argued, "European countries are now directly participating in the war against Russia, and no one denies this anymore."
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