Russian drone explodes near Ukrainian nuclear power plant

"An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) was shot down and exploded overnight approximately 800 meters from the perimeter of the SUNPP. This incident, which nearly led to a disaster, highlights the persistent danger to nuclear safety during military conflict," said IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi.

Late in the evening and early morning of September 25, 22 UAVs were detected in the monitoring zone, some of which approached within half a kilometer of the SUNPP.

From their residence near the plant, IAEA team members heard gunshots and explosions around 1:00 AM. On September 25, they visited the site where one of the drones crashed and saw a crater measuring four square meters and approximately one meter deep.

According to the South Ukraine Nuclear Power Plant, a regional 150-kilovolt power line was also damaged, although it was not connected to the nuclear power plant and had no direct impact on nuclear safety or security. No casualties were reported.

"Once again, drones are flying too close to nuclear power plants, jeopardizing nuclear safety. Fortunately, last night's incident did not cause any damage to the South Ukraine Nuclear Power Plant itself. Next time, we may not be so lucky. I continue to urge both sides to exercise maximum military restraint near all important nuclear facilities," Grossi stated.

Photo: wikipedia.org.