Russia says Ukrainian drone killed Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant chief engineer

Key facts

• The chief engineer at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, Alexander Yakovlev, was killed.
• A Ukrainian drone struck a service car near the plant, killing the engineer and the driver.
• The head of Russia's state nuclear corporation Rosatom confirmed the incident.
• The head of the IAEA condemned the attack as a threat to nuclear safety.
• Russia accused Ukraine of escalating 'terror' actions against the power station.

The chief engineer at the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, Alexander Yakovlev, was killed along with the driver when a Ukrainian drone struck a service car near the station, according to Alexei Likhachev, head of Russia's state nuclear corporation Rosatom. The incident occurred between the plant and the town of Enerhodar.

Russia seized the plant, Europe's largest, in the early weeks of its 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Since then, both sides have accused each other of actions endangering nuclear safety. Enerhodar, where plant staff reside, has been a frequent target.

Likhachev stated that Western countries' lack of reaction encourages further attacks by the Ukrainian government, citing 13 deaths and 48 injuries in the area over the past two and a half months. Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), condemned the incident as an "unacceptable attack" that seriously threatens nuclear safety, without specifically naming Ukraine or Russia.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova urged Grossi to condemn the killing and demanded a clear statement from international bodies, particularly the IAEA. The Kremlin previously accused Ukraine of escalating "terror" actions against the power station, targeting civilian and plant-related infrastructure. Ukraine had not immediately commented on the latest incident.