Russia Says Ukraine Drones Targeted Nuclear Plant

At least three Ukrainian drones attempted to attack a Russian nuclear plant located some 110 kilometers from the border with Ukraine, Russia’s state nuclear plant operator said Friday. 

Rosenergoatom stressed that the incident at the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant did not cause any damage or affect the plant's operations.

“We confirm that on the evening of Oct. 26, 2023, an attack by three enemy drones on the Kursk NPP was stopped,” Rosenergoatom said in a statement.

“This [attack] did not affect the operation of the plant,” it added. “There are no casualties or damage. Law enforcement agencies are working at the site.”

Ukraine has not commented on Rosenergoatom’s claims of the thwarted drone strike.

Baza, a news channel on the Telegram messaging app believed to have links to Russia’s security agencies, said the attempted drone attack was more serious than official reports suggested.

According to the channel, one of the three drones involved in Thursday night's attack exploded and damaged the facade of a warehouse building at a nuclear waste storage facility.

The Moscow Times could not verify these claims. 

Ukraine's Defense Ministry claimed in August that authorities in the Kursk region were planning a “provocation” at the Kursk nuclear plant, in which they were compiling evacuation lists in case of radioactive contamination.

Rosenergoatom said Friday that background radiation in and around the Kursk nuclear plant was at “a natural level.”

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