Drones have landed dangerously close to nuclear power plants throughout the war.

14:36, Sun, May 3, 2026 Updated: 15:09, Sun, May 3, 2026

Fire breaks out in Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant

Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant after a previous strike (Image: Getty)

A strike near the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine has been confirmed as Russia claims a Ukrainian drone landed near the facility.

The International Atomic Energy Agency has said in a statement: "IAEA has been informed by the ZNPP that a drone targeted its External Radiation Control Laboratory (ECRL) today. There were no reported injuries and it is not yet known if the strike damaged the lab, which is located outside the ZNPP perimeter. IAEA team at the site has requested." An IAEA team at the site ​has ​requested ⁠access to the lab, Director General ​Rafael Grossi said, ​reiterating ⁠that any attacks near nuclear sites can ⁠pose ​nuclear safety ​risks. The watchdog said its experts on the ground are seeking to determine whether the strike caused any damage to the monitoring facility.

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi warned that any military activity near such a sensitive site remains a major concern as the conflict continues.

The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant - Europe’s largest nuclear power station - has been under Russian control since the early stages of the war and has repeatedly been at the centre of international safety warnings.

Although the targeted laboratory is located outside the plant’s main perimeter and is used to monitor radiation levels, officials have stressed that strikes in the surrounding area still pose a potential risk.

There have been no reports of injuries or radiation leaks following the latest incident.

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