Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant Area Sees Incident During Ceasefire

An incident involving Russian military personnel resulted in injuries near the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant on the first day of a negotiated ceasefire. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported the event on its X account Friday evening, stating it occurred during mine-clearing operations.

Alexei Likhachev, the head of Russia's state nuclear corporation Rosatom, confirmed that three of the company's employees were injured, with two in serious condition. Likhachev referred to the injured as "engineers" and accused Ukraine of responsibility for the strike. Despite the ongoing investigation, Ukraine has informed the IAEA of its continued commitment to the ceasefire, according to the agency's message.

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Although the case is currently under investigation, the Ukrainian side has informed the IAEA that it remains committed to the ceasefire.

The temporary ceasefire in the Zaporizhzhia plant area was initiated by the IAEA and accepted by both Ukraine and Russia. Reaching these agreements required "weeks of difficult negotiations," the IAEA stated. The ceasefire is intended to facilitate repairs to a damaged 750-kilovolt power line located outside the plant's immediate vicinity.

This marks the sixth temporary ceasefire implemented at the Zaporizhzhia plant since the end of last year. The IAEA emphasizes the necessity of these pauses to secure the plant's external power supply and maintain nuclear safety. The facility, Europe's largest nuclear power plant, has been under Russian occupation since March 2022 and is situated near the front lines. All six reactors have been in cold shutdown since April 2024, but the plant still requires external electricity and cooling water for safety.

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three of the company's employees were injured. Two of them are in serious condition.