IAEA says drone struck Russia’s Kursk nuclear power plant

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said a drone struck the cooling tower of a reactor unit at the nuclear power plant in Russia’s Kursk region. The unit remained operational during the incident, and no fire broke out.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said a drone struck the cooling tower of a reactor unit at the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant in Russia’s Kursk region.

The IAEA said the incident occurred in the morning on Thursday, September 17, 2026.

Drone struck cooling tower

The IAEA announced that it had been informed that a drone had struck the cooling tower belonging to a reactor unit at the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant.

The reactor unit was operational at the time of the incident. The drone strike did not cause any change in the unit’s operating status, and no fire broke out at the plant.

IAEA warns about nuclear safety

IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi stressed following the incident that nuclear facilities must be protected from military activity.

Grossi said attacks on nuclear facilities could jeopardize nuclear safety and security wherever they occur, and described such attacks as unacceptable.

Call for “maximum military restraint”

The IAEA director general also reiterated his call for all parties to exercise maximum military restraint around nuclear facilities to prevent a possible nuclear accident.

The IAEA’s initial information indicated that no fire broke out at the plant after the drone strike and that the affected unit’s operating status did not change.

The Kursk Nuclear Power Plant is located in Russia’s western Kursk region. The region is one of the areas experiencing intense military activity because of the Russia-Ukraine war.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said a drone struck the cooling tower of a reactor unit at the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant in Russia’s Kursk region.

The IAEA said the incident occurred in the morning on Thursday, September 17, 2026.

Drone struck cooling tower

The IAEA announced that it had been informed that a drone had struck the cooling tower belonging to a reactor unit at the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant.

The reactor unit was operational at the time of the incident. The drone strike did not cause any change in the unit’s operating status, and no fire broke out at the plant.

IAEA warns about nuclear safety

IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi stressed following the incident that nuclear facilities must be protected from military activity.

Grossi said attacks on nuclear facilities could jeopardize nuclear safety and security wherever they occur, and described such attacks as unacceptable.

Call for “maximum military restraint”

The IAEA director general also reiterated his call for all parties to exercise maximum military restraint around nuclear facilities to prevent a possible nuclear accident.

The IAEA’s initial information indicated that no fire broke out at the plant after the drone strike and that the affected unit’s operating status did not change.

The Kursk Nuclear Power Plant is located in Russia’s western Kursk region. The region is one of the areas experiencing intense military activity because of the Russia-Ukraine war.

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IAEA says drone struck Russia’s Kursk nuclear power plant

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