The horror of the massive attack on the Ukrainian nuclear plant has given rise to fears of a ‘Chernobyl 2’. world | news

On 3 May, reports emerged of an attack near the Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant in south-eastern Ukraine, currently under Russian control, after Russia claimed to have landed a Ukrainian drone near the facility.

The International Atomic Energy Agency said in a statement: “The IAEA has been informed by ZNPP that a drone today targeted its External Radiation Control Laboratory (ECRL).

No injuries were reported, and we do not yet know whether the attack caused damage to the laboratory, which is located outside the ZNPP perimeter.

Director-General Rafael Grossi said an IAEA team at the site has requested access to the laboratory to assess the situation, warning that any attacks near nuclear sites could pose serious security risks. The watchdog said its experts on the ground were working to determine whether the attack caused any damage to the monitoring facility.

The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant – Europe’s largest nuclear power station – has been under Russian control since the early stages of the war and has been at the centre of repeated international security warnings.

Although the targeted laboratory is located outside the main perimeter of the plant and is used to monitor radiation levels, officials have stressed that attacks in the surrounding area still pose potential risks.

The site has continued to be a source of concern since Russian forces seized it following heavy fighting in the area in March 2022.

Repeated attacks in the area have both sides blaming each other for incidents near the facility.

In February 2025, a drone strike damaged the protective new secure confinement structure at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, which covers the remains of the 1986 reactor explosion.

Officials said the attack caused hundreds of openings in the structure’s outer shell, weakening its ability to contain radioactive material.

Although radiation levels remained stable at the time, experts warned that the damage could pose a long-term safety risk if they did not make immediate repairs.

The containment dome is designed to prevent the release of radioactive dust from the destroyed reactor, which still contains large amounts of hazardous material.

Environmental group Greenpeace Ukraine warned that the strike would increase the risk of structural failure if further damage occurred.