Drone Attack Damages Ukraine’s Khmelnytsky Power Plant, Sparks Nuclear Safety Concerns

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A concerning episode unfolded recently when Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that the Khmelnytsky power plant had sustained minor damage. Further investigations suggested that the culprit was a drone attack hailing from Russia, with the nuclear power plant being the likely target.

The assailants used Shahed drones of Iranian design to orchestrate the attack, which occurred early Wednesday in Ukraine’s western Khmelnytsky region. The strike resulted in 20 casualties and inflicted minor damage, including shattered windows.


Assuring that the plant’s operations remained unaffected, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi stated, “Strong explosions resonated near Ukraine’s Khmelnytsky Nuclear Power Plant.” Referring to the war hazards that can compromise nuclear safety, Grossi added that the blasts serve as a reminder of the grave risks involved.

Interestingly, one of the two reactors housed by the Khmelnytsky plant has been purposefully offline since August. However, the constant threats to the nuclear power plant have caused an air of anxiety since February 2022, when Russia first issued its invasion of Ukraine.

Moreover, the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in eastern Ukraine has been under Russian control since March 2022. The city of Kyiv has accused Russia of indiscriminate shelling at the plant, which could potentially lead to a devastating radiation leak—a dangerous act which it labels as “nuclear terror”. Nevertheless, no significant accidents have occurred since the invasion’s beginning last year.

President Zelensky iterated that the attack showcased a need for bolstering Ukraine’s air defenses through international alliances. Furthermore, he mentioned that components from various Western countries and companies are ingrained in Russian drones and missiles. The strike on Khmelnytsky power plant illuminates the perils that arise when Russia manages to evade international sanctions.

In another stride of international support, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced a €1.4bn ($1.5bn; £1.2bn) aid package for Ukraine on Tuesday. This aid will cover missile defense systems with the objective of building a “protective shield” to safeguard Ukrainian infrastructure. He also hinted towards Russian strategies of wielding cold and energy scarcities as weapons against civilians.

Meanwhile, alarming news broke out on Thursday when Ukrainian intelligence reported an explosion of a car carrying four members of Russia’s FSB security service in Berdyansk, a city in the Zaporizhzhia region. Russian media outlets confirmed at least one casualty due to an alleged improvised explosive device.

This explosion is the latest incident in a series of violent attacks aimed at Russian officials and collaborators in occupied Ukraine. Vladimir Malov, a member of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s United Russia party in the Kherson region, was assassinated last September when his car was targeted by a bomb.