A Drone Shot Down Near the South Ukrainian NPP: What We Know About the Consequences.

According to inkorr.com: A drone was shot down near the South Ukrainian Nuclear Power Plant. An explosion was heard approximately 800 meters from the station's perimeter. This was reported by

Glavkom

On the night of September 25th, observers recorded 22 drones in the monitoring zone, some of which approached within half a kilometer from the facility. IAEA representatives nearby the NPP reported hearing gunfire and explosions around one o'clock in the morning. In the morning, they inspected the drone's crash site and discovered a crater sized four square meters and about one meter deep.

Damage from the Shooting

The debris from the drones damaged metal structures, broke windows in vehicles, and also took out a regional 150-kilovolt power line. However, this line was not connected to the NPP, so there was no threat to the operation of the reactors. No casualties among people have been reported.

"Drones are again flying too close to nuclear power plants, threatening nuclear safety. Fortunately, the incident last night did not cause damage to the South Ukrainian Nuclear Power Plant itself. Next time, we may not be so lucky. I continue to urge both sides to exercise maximum military restraint around all critical nuclear facilities," said IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi.

Additional Details About the Incident

This incident occurred less than a day and a half after the Zaporizhzhia NPP lost external power for the tenth time since the beginning of the war. The station has now been operating on emergency diesel generators for over 48 hours, which provide cooling for six shut-down reactors and other critical systems. This is the longest case of total loss of external power for the ZNPP since the full-scale invasion began.

The incident involving the drone shot down near the South Ukrainian NPP raises serious concerns about nuclear safety. Although the attack did not result in damage to the NPP, IAEA representatives emphasize the importance of military restraint and dialogue to prevent similar situations in the future.