IAEA: Attacking Nuclear Fuel Facility Near Chernobyl is 'Playing With Fire'

The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has strongly condemned an attack on a nuclear fuel storage facility near Ukraine's Chernobyl power plant, labeling it "extremely worrying" and a "limit situation" for atomic safety. Rafael Grossi, the IAEA's Director General, issued a stern warning against such actions.

"Attacking a facility that houses large amounts of nuclear material is playing with fire and should never happen," Grossi stated, confirming that the IAEA is actively investigating the incident. An IAEA team inspected the site and confirmed significant structural damage to the fuel reception building, including an office used by the UN agency. Damage included broken windows, detached bricks, and debris scattered across the area, though radiation levels were reported to be within normal limits.

The facility stored used nuclear fuel in containers located hundreds of meters away from the directly impacted building, and other nearby storage units were empty at the time of the attack. Ukraine's Foreign Ministry reported that a Russian drone damaged a building used by IAEA personnel and claimed the attack created "unacceptable risks to nuclear safety." Kyiv has informed the IAEA, and the issue is expected to be addressed at the agency's Board of Governors meeting. Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) described the attack as a war crime, attributing it to a Russian Geran-2 drone.