A Ukrainian drone attack on Russia’s Kursk Nuclear Power Plant has sparked international concern after the device was shot down and exploded near the facility, causing a fire and forcing a dramatic reduction in reactor capacity.
The attack, which occurred shortly after midnight on Saturday, damaged an auxiliary transformer and led to a 50 per cent reduction in operating capacity at the plant’s reactor number three. While radiation levels remained normal and the fire was extinguished, the incident marks a dangerous escalation in attacks on nuclear infrastructure during the conflict.
Russian authorities accused Ukraine of launching the drone as part of a wave of overnight strikes that also targeted major fuel export terminals. The Kursk plant, located just 60 kilometres from the Ukrainian border, shot down what it described as a “combat unmanned aerial vehicle” belonging to Ukrainian forces.
“Upon impact, the drone detonated, resulting in damage to an auxiliary transformer,” the plant said in a statement, confirming that fire crews had successfully extinguished the resulting blaze.
Major Escalation in Nuclear Targeting
The incident represents one of the most serious direct attacks on nuclear facilities since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began, fuelling anxiety about fighting creeping dangerously close to nuclear assets that could trigger a catastrophic accident.
Alexander Khinshtein, Kursk’s acting regional governor, blamed Ukraine for the strikes in a Telegram post, stating: “They are a threat to nuclear safety and a violation of all international conventions.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed it was “aware” of reports about the fire at Kursk NPP, which it said started due to “military activity.” The UN nuclear watchdog stressed that “monitoring confirms normal radiation levels near Kursk NPP” but emphasised that every nuclear facility must be protected at all times.
Wider Campaign Hits Energy Infrastructure
The Kursk attack was part of a broader Ukrainian drone campaign overnight, with Russian authorities claiming to have intercepted 95 drones across more than a dozen regions. The strikes coincided with Ukraine’s Independence Day celebrations on August 24.
One of the most dramatic attacks occurred at the port of Ust-Luga in Russia’s Leningrad region, home to a major fuel export terminal. Firefighters battled a massive blaze after debris from approximately 10 downed Ukrainian drones sparked fires at the Novatek-operated facility.
Unverified footage on Russian Telegram channels showed a drone flying directly into the fuel terminal, followed by a huge fireball rising high into the sky and black smoke billowing across the horizon.
Ukraine has not commented on the Russian accusations, maintaining its policy of neither confirming nor denying strikes on Russian territory.
‘Playing Russian Roulette’ with Nuclear Safety
The attack has renewed fears about nuclear safety in the region, where multiple facilities have come under threat since the conflict began. Walter Clemens, an associate at Harvard University’s Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies, has warned that the Kremlin is “playing Russian roulette” with nuclear plants.
Another disaster like Chernobyl would again imperil Belarus and much of Europe as well as Ukraine and parts of Russia,” Clemens stated, highlighting the catastrophic potential of nuclear incidents during wartime.
The IAEA has repeatedly warned of dangers to nuclear facilities throughout the three-and-a-half-year conflict. Russia’s capture of the Chernobyl power plant in northern Ukraine at the start of the invasion, and its ongoing occupation of the Zaporizhzhia plant – Europe’s largest – since March 2022, have created unprecedented risks.
Zaporizhzhia Plant Under Pressure
The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant remains a particular concern, having suffered eight complete power losses during the conflict, forcing it to rely on emergency diesel generators. The IAEA has stressed the site faces danger from frequent shelling and a lack of experienced operators.
IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi has made numerous visits to Ukrainian nuclear facilities, establishing permanent missions of experts at each site to monitor safety. He has repeatedly called for the establishment of safety and security protection zones around nuclear plants, particularly Zaporizhzhia.
The world cannot afford to be complacent,” Grossi told the UN Security Council recently, warning that plant staff are operating under “unprecedented psychological pressure” with significantly reduced numbers.
International Condemnation Grows
The targeting of nuclear infrastructure has drawn widespread international condemnation, with experts warning that attacks on such facilities violate international law and could trigger environmental disasters affecting multiple countries.
“The IAEA has no way to enforce its appeals, the UN Security Council is paralysed by great power vetoes and the UN General Assembly is weakened by the many delegations reluctant to anger their hoped-for benefactor in Moscow,” Clemens noted, highlighting the international community’s limited ability to prevent nuclear incidents.
As both sides exchange accusations over attacks on nuclear facilities, the spectre of a potential nuclear accident continues to loom over the conflict, with experts warning that the consequences could extend far beyond Ukraine and Russia’s borders.
The Kursk plant currently has three operational reactors, with a fourth undergoing scheduled maintenance. Despite Saturday’s attack reducing capacity at one reactor, the facility continues to operate, though concerns remain about the vulnerability of nuclear infrastructure to military action.
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