Drone crashes 800 meters from South Ukraine Nuclear Plant, IAEA warns

The IAEA reports.

The team was informed that late on September 24 and early on September 25, 22 drones were spotted in the surveillance zone, some coming as close as half a kilometer to the plant.

From their residence near the plant, IAEA team members heard gunfire and explosions around 1 a.m. local time, later visiting the drone crash site where they saw a crater about four square meters wide and one meter deep.

It was also reported that a 150-kilovolt regional power line was damaged, though it was not connected to the plant and had no direct impact on nuclear safety.

“Once again drones are flying far too close to nuclear power plants, putting nuclear safety at risk. Fortunately, last night’s incident did not result in any damage to the South Ukraine Nuclear Power Plant itself. Next time we may not be so lucky. I continue to urge both sides to show maximum military restraint around all important nuclear facilities,” Director General Grossi said.

For reference: The South Ukraine Nuclear Power Plant is one of the country’s three operating nuclear plants, with its three reactors currently generating electricity at full capacity.

• On September 25, it was reported that the occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant had been running on diesel generators for the second day in a row, as the Russians deliberately kept it disconnected from the power supply.