Russia says Ukrainian drone struck nuclear plant but caused no damage
(Reuters) -Russia on Wednesday accused Ukraine of firing two drones at a nuclear power station in the partially occupied Ukrainian region of Zaporizhzhia on Monday but said the reactor was undamaged.
Reuters could not independently verify the report and Ukrainian officials had no immediate comment. The facility is the largest nuclear plant in Europe.
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“Ukrainian nationalist formations used two kamikaze drones to attack facilities at the Zaporozhzhia nuclear power plant – one drone was destroyed on approach to the plant,” Russia’s defence ministry said in a statement.
“It was only by sheer luck that this did not lead to damage to the plant’s equipment and a man-made disaster.”
Ukraine has previously accused Moscow of basing troops and storing military equipment on the grounds of the power station.
Earlier in the day Vladimir Rogov, a member of the Russian-installed regional administration, wrote on Telegram that three Ukrainian “kamikaze drones” had struck the plant.
Ukraine’s state nuclear company Energoatom, whose employees still run the plant despite the area being under Russian control, issued a statement later accusing Russian forces of demanding access to the machine halls of three reactors at the plant in order to store tanks and equipment there.
Energoatom said, without providing evidence, that Russian troops were doing so for fear of “presents” from Ukraine’s armed forces, an apparent reference to targeted strikes. The company did not comment on the alleged drone impact.
(Reporting by ReutersEditing by Peter Graff, Mark Heinrich and Jonathan Oatis)