On August 6, the Russian Armed Forces carried out another rocket attack on the territory of the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) and on the city of Energodar in the northwest of Ukraine’s Zaporozhye region. The announcement was made on Sunday, August 7, at Ukraine’s National Nuclear Power Generation Company Energoatom.

In turn, the self-proclaimed administration of Energodar, located in the part of the region temporarily occupied by the Russian Federation, attributed the bombing to Ukraine’s armed formations and claimed that a 220 mm projectile fired from the Uragan multiple launch rocket system was used. “On approaching the power units, the rocket was able to open and release cluster submunitions,” the government said.

Energoatom, in turn, indicated that the RF Armed Forces projectiles hit the territory of the ZNPP, in the vicinity of the dry storage facility for spent nuclear fuel (SHSF). We’re talking about 174 containers, each containing 24 SNF assemblies. Three radiation monitoring sensors were damaged and therefore timely elimination of the leak is still not possible, the corporation added.

Energoatom: An injured station worker

According to the Ukrainian energy company, as a result of the bombing, a ZNPP worker was injured by shrapnel – he was taken to the city hospital. The Russian military, numbering up to 500, as well as Rosatom personnel, took refuge in advance in the bunkers of the station’s anti-crisis center and technical support center, said Energoatom.

In addition, a power plant and a water intake at Energodar were bombed, the Ukrainian corporation noted. They called for the immediate withdrawal of the Russian military from ZNPP territory and the establishment of a demilitarized zone there.

Zelensky: We need sanctions against the Russian nuclear industry

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on August 7 called for a stronger international response to “Russian nuclear terror”. The Ukrainian leader spoke by phone with the head of the European Council, Charles Michel. According to Zelensky, sanctions are needed against the Russian nuclear industry and the use of Russian nuclear fuel.

The interlocutors also positively evaluated the start of the export of Ukrainian grain by sea, the coordinated preparations for the summit of the Crimea Platform on 23 August. Zelensky drew Michel’s attention to the importance of unlocking the macro-financial assistance package for Ukraine as soon as possible, the president’s office noted.

The IAEA warned of the risk of nuclear catastrophe

The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, expressed serious concern on Aug. 6 over the bombing of the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant, saying it shows a “very real risk” of a nuclear catastrophe. Grossi demanded that an IAEA delegation, which he was ready to lead personally, be allowed to enter the premises. However, he acknowledged that this step would require cooperation from Ukraine, Russia, as well as UN support.

De-energize southern Ukraine

Ukraine’s Attorney General’s office has announced the start of a pre-trial investigation into the bombing – it is being carried out in a criminal case for violating the laws and customs of war.

Previously, Energoatom indicated that as a result of the attack on the plant on August 5, there was a serious risk to its safe operation.

The Ukrainian corporation believes that the purpose of bombing the ZNPP is to destroy its infrastructure and de-energize southern Ukraine.