The attack damaged transformers near ZNPP

IAEA reported that a series of strikes on the Zaporizhzhia NPP damaged transformers important for energy supply.

This was reported by the IAEA press service.

It is noted that the territory of the neighbouring Zaporizhzhia thermal power plant (TPP) was under attack on September 19, 20, and 27. Because of this, the IAEA head General Rafael Grossi is currently negotiating with the Russian Federation and Ukraine to implement a local ceasefire.

According to IAEA, the September 22 attack disabled a radiation monitoring station outside the site, reducing the ability to monitor radiation levels near the plant. The strikes on Energodar also killed a ZNPP employee.

Whatʼs happening with the Zaporizhzhia NPP now?

The Russians occupied the Zaporizhzhia NPP in early March 2022 and have been operating under their control since then. An IAEA mission has been at the station since September 2022. Ukraine insists on the withdrawal of the Russian occupiers from the station. Russia refuses to create a demilitarized zone at the Zaporizhzhia NPP.

The Zaporizhzhia NPP has repeatedly lost external power supply due to hostilities near the plant. In such cases, it switched to backup diesel generators. The longest was the tenth blackout, which occurred due to Russian shelling and lasted a month — from September 23 to October 23, 2025.

On May 30, “Rosatom” reported that Ukrainian troops allegedly hit the machine room of Unit 6 of the Zaporizhzhia NPP with a drone, a few meters from the reactor. The South group of troops of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said that they did not hit the power unit.

Among the evidence is that Ukraine does not have fiber-optic drones that can reach the station and carry 5-6 kilograms of explosives. In addition, the Russians have set up a multi-level smoke screen around the station, and the drone would not have been able to fly through it unnoticed.

Following these accusations by Russia, IAEA conducted an inspection of the Zaporizhzhia NPP. Experts said that the outer part of the turbine housing and the metal hatch were damaged, and they also found several fragments and burnt remains of an optical cable. But IAEA did not specify who the drone belonged to.

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