Written by Abigail Summers.
Russian President Vladimir Putin recently accused Ukrainian forces of attempting to attack Russia’s Kursk Nuclear Power Plant (NPP). According to Putin, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has been alerted about the situation. This alleged strike attempt follows previous warnings from Moscow, which claimed that Ukraine was preparing a “dirty bomb” for a false flag attack, either at the Kursk or Zaporozhye NPP.
Earlier this month, Kiev reportedly sent thousands of troops into Russia’s Kursk Region, aiming to reach the town of Kurchatov, where the Kursk NPP is located. Moscow has labeled this incursion as an act of terrorism and has reinforced its military presence in the area. During a cabinet meeting on Thursday, Putin stated, “Last night, the enemy attempted to strike the atomic power plant.” He also expressed hope that the IAEA would send specialists to assess the situation, as they had promised.
The IAEA has already stationed observers at the Zaporozhye NPP, Europe’s largest nuclear facility. This mission began in the summer of 2023, after Ukrainian forces tried to seize the plant. Recently, a Ukrainian drone attack set fire to one of the plant’s cooling towers, further escalating tensions in the region.
IAEA’s Role in Monitoring the Situation
Rosatom CEO Alexey Likhachev has been in discussions with IAEA director Rafael Grossi regarding the safety of both the Kursk and Zaporozhye nuclear plants. Likhachev invited Grossi to visit Kursk and personally evaluate the situation. According to Russian media, Grossi accepted the invitation and plans to visit Kursk next week. Afterward, he will travel to Kiev to meet with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky.
Grossi voiced his concerns about the ongoing conflict near the Kursk NPP, noting that the plant operates the same type of reactors as the infamous Chernobyl NPP. “They don’t have a protective dome around them, just the normal roof, which means that the reactor’s core is pretty exposed,” Grossi stated. The proximity of military forces to the plant has raised alarm for both the IAEA and Grossi, although he did not specify which troops were causing concern.
Despite these efforts, Moscow has criticized the IAEA for not holding Kiev accountable for attacks on nuclear facilities. The Russian government argues that the IAEA staff is well aware of Ukraine’s involvement in these incidents but has failed to publicly acknowledge it.
Our Take
The situation surrounding Russia’s Kursk Nuclear Power Plant is deeply troubling. If Ukraine is indeed targeting nuclear facilities, the potential for disaster is enormous. It is imperative that international agencies like the IAEA step up their efforts to hold all parties accountable. The lack of clear attribution for these attacks only fuels further instability. For the sake of global safety, nuclear facilities must be off-limits in any conflict.
