The director general of the organization, Rafael Grossi, described the event as "unacceptable" and demanded an immediate halt to the attacks on nuclear facilities and their personnel. Russia attributed the attack to Ukraine, while Kiev has not commented on the incident
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) condemned the death of Aleksandr Yakovlev, chief engineer of the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant, who died along with a service vehicle driver following a drone attack near the plant. The agency's director general, Rafael Grossi, described the incident as “unacceptable” and warned that it poses a serious threat to nuclear safety amid the war.
The attack occurred when a drone struck a vehicle used by workers at the plant. Moscow blamed the Ukrainian Armed Forces for the action and stated that the engineer was performing tasks directly related to the safety and operation of the largest nuclear plant in Europe.
The Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant
Grossi expressed his condemnation of the attack and stated that any aggression against nuclear facilities or against the personnel working at them increases the risk of an incident with potentially serious consequences. The head of the IAEA reiterated the call for an “immediate cessation of all attacks against nuclear facilities or in their vicinity, as well as against their personnel,” a demand that the agency has been making since the beginning of the conflict.
The Zaporizhia nuclear power plant has been under the control of Russian forces since March 2022, although it is located in territory internationally recognized as part of Ukraine. Since then, the complex has been the scene of repeated bombings, drone attacks, and power supply cuts that have raised international concern over the risk of a nuclear accident.
IAEA teams remain permanently deployed at the facility to monitor safety conditions and oversee the operation of the plant.
The Director General of the IAEA Rafael Grossi
The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs described the attack as a “criminal act” and stated that it endangers the safe operation of the plant and the lives of its workers. The spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, had previously requested a public condemnation of the incident from the IAEA. As of the time of the information release, Ukrainian authorities had not issued an official statement.
The episode once again places the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant at the center of international concern. The IAEA insisted that all parties must avoid any military action that could compromise the safety of nuclear facilities, reminding that the protection of such infrastructures is a priority to prevent an accident with potentially regional consequences.
