Kursk Nuclear Plant Cooling Tower Damaged in Drone Attack, IAEA Reports

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) received reports that the cooling tower of Russia's new Kursk Nuclear Power Plant Unit 2 was damaged in a drone attack. The incident occurred on July 5. In its Ukraine nuclear facilities report, the IAEA stated it had been informed by Russian authorities about the damage to the cooling tower from a drone strike. While Russia reported the damage, the IAEA statement did not include specifics such as the size of the hole or the extent of the damage. Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General of the IAEA, warned that ongoing military activity near major nuclear plants is weakening safety and security conditions. The IAEA did not independently verify the attacker in this report and made no mention of radiation effects or casualties from the incident.