Kiev launches attack on Russian nuclear site – media
A Ukrainian drone carrying an anti-tank grenade attempted to reach the Kursk nuclear power plant overnight, news agency TASS reported on Friday, citing a local police source.
The unmanned aerial vehicle was intercepted by electronic warfare countermeasures and downed near a spent nuclear fuel storage facility, according to the report. TASS released photos of the aircraft and its payload. It featured the logo of the Army of Drones, a Ukrainian government project aimed at ramping up the availability of such aircraft for its forces, the agency said.
Earlier this month, Kiev sent thousands of troops into Kursk Region in a bid to seize Russian territory. The nuclear power plant is located near the city of Kurchatov, some 60km from the border. Russian officials have accused Kiev of launching attacks on the facility amid the incursion.
Maria Zakharova, the spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, described the latest incident as an act of “nuclear terrorism.” She called for a response by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the UN’s nuclear watchdog.
IAEA Director Rafael Grossi is scheduled to visit the Kursk power plant next week at the invitation of the Russian government. He is expected to visit Kiev afterwards.
”Military activity in the vicinity of a nuclear power plant is a serious risk to nuclear safety and security,” the UN official said on Thursday. “My visit to KNPP next week will provide us with timely access to independently assess the situation.”
