Ukrainian drones attacked Russia’s Kursk Nuclear Power Plant, causing a fire that reduced one of its reactors’ operational capacity by half, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed no radiation risks from the incident.
Attack on Russian Territory
On August 24, Russia’s Ministry of Defense reported that at least 95 Ukrainian drones were destroyed overnight across 10 regions. The Kursk Nuclear Power Plant, located in Kurchatov city (population ~40,000) in western Russia’s Kursk Oblast, was a primary target. The fire triggered by the attack halved the operational capacity of one of the plant’s four RBMK-1000 reactors, similar to those at Chernobyl. The plant lies approximately 60 kilometers from the Ukrainian border.
IAEA Statement on the Attack
The IAEA confirmed that radiation levels around the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant remain normal. “Russia claims the reactor’s capacity was reduced due to damage to an auxiliary transformer, but the fire was extinguished, and no one was injured,” the agency stated. Rafael Grossi, IAEA Director General, emphasized the need for continuous protection of all nuclear facilities.
Strike on Novatek Gas Terminal
A Ukrainian drone also hit the Novatek gas terminal at Ust-Luga Port on Russia’s Baltic Sea coast. Leningrad Oblast Governor Alexander Drozdenko stated via Telegram that the fuel storage tanks were not damaged by the fire. This marks the second attack on the terminal since January 2024, when a previous strike caused $2 million in daily losses and required a month of repairs. Novatek, Russia’s second-largest gas producer after Gazprom, attributed the attack to the Ukrainian military’s aim to “reduce the aggressor’s military-economic potential.”
Source: Gazeta, https://wiadomosci.gazeta.pl/czarnobyl#anchorLink), https://wiadomosci.gazeta.pl/granica#anchorLink), https://wiadomosci.gazeta.pl/drony#anchorLink), https://wiadomosci.gazeta.pl/paliwo#anchorLink), https://next.gazeta.pl/next/7
