Russia requests emergency IAEA board meeting over Zaporizhzhia attacks

VIENNA -- Russia has requested an extraordinary session of the 35-nation Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) over what it claims are Ukrainian attacks on the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant (ZNPP) on Sunday, a Russian envoy said on Monday.

Mikhail Ulyanov, Russia's permanent representative to the international organizations in Vienna, said on social media platform X that the request has been made according to procedural rules of the IAEA board.

The ZNPP reported multiple drone attacks on Sunday. According to the IAEA, it was the first time since November 2022 that the plant was "directly targeted in military action."

The IAEA confirmed on Sunday night that the attacks caused damage to one of the ZNPP's six power units, but nuclear safety has not been compromised. However, the UN nuclear watchdog did not say who was to blame for the attacks.

Russia said Ukraine struck the ZNPP, injuring three people working at the plant.

Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Monday that the recent shelling on the ZNPP was "a very dangerous provocation" with negative consequences.

Ukraine has denied involvement in the drone attacks.

The ZNPP is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe with a total capacity of 6 gigawatts. At the end of February 2022, the facility was taken under Russian control.