Grossi reported a drone attack on an IAEA official vehicle on the road to ZNPP

An official vehicle of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) was attacked by a drone on the road to the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant (ZNPP). This was reported on December 10 by the Director General of the Agency Rafael Grossi.

"One of the IAEA team vehicles was attacked by a drone. <...> Fortunately, there were no casualties and our staff are safe. The rotation has been completed," Grossi said in a video message posted on the IAEA's X social media page (formerly Twitter).

He condemned what happened and called for respect. In addition, Grossi recalled the inadmissibility of attacks on nuclear power plants, adding that it is unacceptable to attack those who ensure nuclear safety and security of such facilities.

Earlier in the day, the Russian Defense Ministry said that the Russian military had ensured the safe conduct of the next rotation of IAEA mission observers at the ZNPP.

Prior to that, on December 5, Grossi said that the situation around ZNPP, as long as hostilities are ongoing near the facility, continues to be tense and unstable. Grossi added that the situation with the power supply to ZNPP is also a matter of deep concern for him. He intends to discuss this issue with the Russian and Ukrainian sides in the near future.

On December 1, it was reported that the high-voltage power supply line "Ferrosplavnaya-1" at Zaporizhzhya NPP was disconnected by a protection action. After that, the NPP's own needs were supplied from the 750 kV Dniprovska line. Later the same day, the 330 kV high-voltage power supply line "Ferrosplavnaya-1" was put back into operation.

Zaporizhzhya region, where the nuclear power plant is located, became part of the Russian Federation following a referendum in September 2022. Since that time, Zaporizhzhya NPP has been under constant IAEA control.