Ukraine Steps Up Strikes On Europe’s Largest Nuclear Power Plant, IAEA Confirms

Ukraine has begun targeting the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant with drone strikes according to the head of the Russian state-owned Rosatom operator Aleksey Likhachev and an international nuclear watchdog group. Importantly, the reported targets are not the reactor building itself, but rather nearby infrastructure.

“Choosing a nuclear power plant as a target is the most irresponsible step on the part of the Ukrainian authorities… Any strike on any building, any piece of equipment is a blow to the nuclear safety of the NPP… Not understanding this is the height of cynicism and recklessness,” a statement from Likhachev said Thursday.

The nuclear watchdog group the International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed the strikes.

“On 3 May, the ZNPP informed the IAEA team at the site that a drone attack had occurred at the External Radiation Control Laboratory (ERCL), situated approximately four kilometres from the plant perimeter. Visiting the facility the next day, the IAEA observed damage to meteorological equipment used to collect real-time environmental parameters in the event of a nuclear or radiological emergency. The IAEA team was informed that the equipment is currently not operable,” the IAEA reported Thursday.

Nuclear emergency response infrastructure near the ZNPP was damaged in a drone attack over the past week, once again highlighting the persistent risks to nuclear safety and security amid ongoing military activities, IAEA Director General said.

Nuclear emergency response infrastructure near the ZNPP was damaged in a drone attack over the past week, once again highlighting the persistent risks to nuclear safety and security amid ongoing military activities, IAEA Director General @rafaelmgrossi said.… pic.twitter.com/kg8ci5RFnK

— IAEA – International Atomic Energy Agency ⚛️ (@iaeaorg) May 7, 2026

Zaporozhye is the largest nuclear power facilities in Europe. It sits in Russian-occupied Ukraine in a city called Energodar. Captured in March 2022 shortly after the start of the Ukraine war, all six reactors have been in shut down in September of that year.

According to the head of the Rosatom, Kiev has used drones to attack civilian infrastructure in Energodar for three consecutive days. The city is just a few kilometers from the frontline.

“The Ukrainian attacks targeted a gas distribution station and residential buildings, with over 20 explosions recorded in a single day, he said, adding that five vehicles were set ablaze and a fire truck was seriously damaged,” RT reported.

❗️A drone targeted the External Radiation Control Laboratory at Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.

The @iaeaorg has requested access to the site of the drone attack.

The largest nuclear power plant in Europe is occupied by an aggressive and unreliable Russia for… https://t.co/kK36uimGPc pic.twitter.com/9R841tqHfu

— Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) May 4, 2026

Similar allegations have been made by Moscow since the start of hostilities.

“Moscow has accused Kiev of repeatedly striking the site and staging multiple military attempts to seize it, warning that the attacks risk triggering a nuclear catastrophe on the scale of the 1986 Chernobyl disaster. Ukraine has denied deliberately targeting the plant, claiming it was Moscow that was staging the attacks,” RT said.

In April a Ukrainian drone killed a plant employee at the facility.

“Today, a driver was killed as a result of a strike by a Ukrainian Armed Forces drone on the transport shop floor of the ZNPP,” the facility said in a statement at the time.

Kiev said it will be exercising a ceasefire which began on Tuesday at midnight local time. Since then, Ukrainian Dictator Vladimir Zelensky has said Moscow continued its offensive, despite the Kremlin-announced ceasefire not being scheduled to begin until Friday.

Since the start of the day, the Russian army has been attacking Ukraine in every form – with attack drones, missile strikes, shelling and assaults along the front line, and the use of aerial bombs. In just the time from midnight through the morning, there have already been around 100 attack drones, dozens of assault actions on key frontline directions, as well as dozens of air strikes. Significant damage to civilian infrastructure has been recorded in the Kharkiv, Sumy, Donetsk, and Kherson regions. There have also been strikes on the Ukrzaliznytsia locomotives and infrastructure in several regions. Ukraine’s energy system remains a constant Russian target. All of this shows that Russia is not seriously considering a ceasefire, and that the only thing that continues to concern the Russian leadership is a short-term silence on Red Square. Russia continues to kill people while being completely irrationally obsessed with only a few hours of silence in one part of Moscow. Ukraine will act justly – day by day. We proposed a ceasefire starting at midnight on May 6. Yesterday and today, Russia has violated this ceasefire regime. In a mirror response to Russian strikes, we will continue our long-range sanctions. And in response to Russia’s willingness to move toward diplomacy, we will proceed along the path of diplomacy. We need concrete steps to end this war, and peace will still be achieved – we are working toward that. The only question is how much time will be lost because of Russia’s madness. I thank everyone who stands with Ukraine! Glory to Ukraine!

Since the start of the day, the Russian army has been attacking Ukraine in every form – with attack drones, missile strikes, shelling and assaults along the front line, and the use of aerial bombs. In just the time from midnight through the morning, there have already been around…

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) May 7, 2026

Both nations have accused the other of violating their Easter ceasefire.

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