Russia claims Ukraine tried drone attack against Kursk Nuclear Power Plant

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) - Russia on Friday claimed that Ukraine tried to strike the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant in a drone attack, as the border region continues to witness an incursion by Kyiv launched over two weeks ago.

“On the night of Aug. 22, 2024, the Kyiv regime attempted to commit an act of nuclear terrorism with a kamikaze drone on a nuclear power plant located in Kurchatov, Kursk region,” a law enforcement agency source said, according to Russian state news agency TASS.

The source said the Ukrainian drone used during the attack was shot down in the “immediate vicinity” of the plant by Russian electronic warfare systems.

Commenting on the incident, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told TASS that the alleged attack requires an immediate response from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and defined it as an "act of nuclear terrorism."

A day earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed that Ukraine tried to strike the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant, and that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) had been informed of the situation.

Putin said the IAEA promised to send specialists to assess the situation at the plant, while acting Kursk Governor Alexey Smirnov said the situation at the plant was stable.

Following Putin’s remarks, IAEA chief Rafael Grossi announced his intention to personally assess the situation at the site during a visit next week.

Ukrainian authorities have not yet commented on Russia’s claims.

Russia's border region of Kursk has been the site of an incursion by Kyiv since the night of Aug. 5-6, when Ukrainian forces entered the region near the town of Sudzha, about 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) from the border.

Russian President Vladimir Putin accused Kyiv of carrying out a “large-scale provocation” and “indiscriminate shooting,” defining the incursion as a “terrorist attack.”

Days later, Zelenskyy admitted it was an “operation” by Ukraine’s troops, specifying that the goal is to create a “buffer zone” against Russian attacks.