How many people were affected in the drone attack near the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant?

One person was killed and 15 were injured, three of them seriously.

Was nuclear safety compromised?

According to the IAEA, the plant's nuclear safety was not compromised.

Who has been blamed for the attack?

Russian occupation authorities blamed Ukraine, while the Ukrainian side has not responded to these claims.

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Drone Explodes Near Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant, Worker Killed

Q: Who were the victims of the attack?

All victims were plant employees or workers hired through subcontractors.

S.V. · Prije 3h | 2 min

An attack on a bus stop near Europe's largest nuclear power plant killed one person and injured 15. IAEA warns of grave danger to nuclear safety.

Summary

A drone exploded at a bus stop near the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, killing one person and injuring 15.
All victims were plant employees or subcontractor workers.
The IAEA warns that attacks on nuclear plants pose a grave danger to nuclear safety.
The plant has been under Russian occupation since March 2022, and all six reactors are shut down.

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According to data released on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna, a drone attack near the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear facility killed one person and wounded 15 others.

According to a statement from the UN nuclear watchdog, all victims were plant employees or workers hired through subcontractors. Of the total number of injured, three sustained serious injuries.

Drone Explodes at Bus Stop

The drone exploded early in the morning at a bus stop used by employees on their way to the plant. The IAEA stressed that the incident did not compromise the safety of the nuclear facility.

The plant's director described the incident as "the worst the plant has faced," the IAEA reported. Earlier, Russian authorities administering the area reported the attack and blamed Ukraine for it, while no official response has yet come from Kyiv.

Criminal Proceedings and Additional Attacks

Russian investigators announced they had opened criminal proceedings over terrorist attacks in the Zaporizhzhia and Moscow regions. Additionally, the IAEA received information about further attacks in the industrial zone surrounding the plant, which lies in close proximity to the front line.

Grossi Calls for Immediate Cessation of Attacks

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi called for an immediate halt to attacks on nuclear power plants and their personnel. "Attacks like these pose a grave danger to nuclear safety," he posted on platform X.

An IAEA team is permanently present at the plant, tasked with monitoring the situation and helping to reduce the risk of attacks that could trigger a nuclear catastrophe.

Plant Under Occupation Since 2022

Russia seized the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and the nearby town of Enerhodar in March 2022, shortly after the start of its invasion of Ukraine in February of that year. For safety reasons, all six reactors at the plant are currently shut down.