Putin says Ukraine tried to attack Kursk nuclear plant

MOSCOW

Russian President Vladimir Putin holds a meeting about the situation in border areas of Belgorod, Kursk and Bryansk regions of Russia, at Novo-Ogaryovo state residence outside of Moscow, Russia, Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024.

Russian President Vladimir Putin accused Ukraine on Thursday of attempting to attack the Kursk nuclear power station, though he did not present any evidence to support his claim.

"The enemy tried to strike the nuclear power plant at night, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has been informed," Putin said during a televised government meeting.

Ukraine has not immediately responded to the accusation. The recent dramatic incursion by Ukrainian forces into the Kursk region, marking the largest invasion into Russian territory by a foreign power since World War Two, involved thousands of Ukrainian troops breaching Russia's western border on Aug. 6, seemingly taking Moscow by surprise.

During the same meeting, Alexei Smirnov, acting governor of the Kursk region, reported to Putin that the situation at the Kursk nuclear power station remains stable. The power plant consists of six units, with two currently shut down, two operational, and two still under construction, according to the IAEA.

On Aug. 9, the IAEA called for "maximum restraint" from both Russia and Ukraine to prevent a nuclear accident with potentially severe radiological consequences as hostilities neared the power plant.

The head of the U.N. nuclear agency, Rafael Grossi, is scheduled to visit the Kursk nuclear power plant next week.

Grossi has stated that he is in contact with the authorities of both countries and will continue to provide updates to the international community as necessary.

The conflict, which has persisted for over two and a half years, escalated on Aug. 6 with Ukraine launching an unexpected cross-border offensive. Kiev claims to have seized numerous settlements, prompting a substantial evacuation of Russian civilians from the region.

Throughout Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which began in February 2022, the IAEA has consistently raised concerns about the risks posed to nuclear facilities. Recently, the agency warned that the safety conditions at Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant were "deteriorating" following a drone strike in its vicinity.