Khmelnytskyi Nuclear Power Plant (photo taken in 2004)
Photo: Valeriy Solovyev / AFP
Powerful explosions near the Khmelnytskyi nuclear power plant shattered the windows in the plant last night, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) announced. Operations were not interrupted, but the power supply from external radiation measuring stations had temporarily failed.
"The fact that numerous windows on the plant were destroyed shows how close it was. Next time, we may not be so lucky," said IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi.
IAEA experts who were at the facility in western Ukraine reported that at 1:26 a.m. local time, the sirens sounded for an airstrike and later two loud explosions were heard, the Atomic Energy Agency said. Subsequently, the IAEA experts were informed that two drones were shot down at a distance of about 5 and about 20 kilometers from the facility.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the Russian drone strike in the Khmelnytskyi region was likely aimed at the nuclear power plant. In his evening video address, he called for more weapons aid to fend off Russian air strikes. "This attack on the nuclear power plant is another reminder to all our partners of the importance of strengthening Ukraine's air defense," Zelensky said.
kfr/dpa/Reuters