"IAEA Head Warns of Increased Accident Risk at Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant Due to Attacks"

Ukrainian military drones attacked the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine, prompting condemnation from the head of the U.N.’s atomic watchdog agency. The attack resulted in three direct hits on the plant's main reactor containment structures, raising concerns about the risk of a major nuclear accident. While the plant reported no critical damage or casualties, Russian state-owned nuclear agency Rosatom stated that three people were wounded. The International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed the physical impact of the drone attacks and expressed concern about the potential undermining of the reactor’s containment system. The power plant, caught in the crossfire since 2022, remains a point of contention between Ukraine and Russia, with both sides accusing each other of attacks. Additionally, casualties were reported in other areas as a result of the ongoing conflict.