Comment by the MFA of Ukraine regarding the artillery shelling near the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant recorded by the IAEA
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine expresses its deep concern regarding the latest data from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which once again confirms the cynical and irresponsible use by the Russian Federation of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant as a military facility and a “nuclear shield” to cover shelling of Ukrainian civilian infrastructure.
On 6 August 2025, IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi, in his latest statement, drew attention to a grave incident at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. While inspecting the spent nuclear fuel storage facility at the plant, the Agency’s inspection team recorded numerous artillery salvos originating from the vicinity of the plant’s perimeter. The shelling continued for more than an hour.
These actions are part of a deliberate and systematic tactic employed by the Russian occupying forces. By using the largest nuclear power plant in Europe as cover, the aggressor launches strikes against peaceful Ukrainian cities and villages, fully aware that any military response in the direction of the plant is constrained due to the unprecedented risk of a nuclear accident.
Similar shelling in the past has already damaged critical infrastructure, including several external power lines required to meet the basic operational needs of the Zaporizhzhia NPP. As a result, the plant has had to rely on a single backup power line – a fragile and unreliable safety system. Any incident brings us closer to the brink of a continental-scale tragedy.
The actions of the Russian Federation represent a flagrant violation of fundamental principles of international law, including the Convention on Nuclear Safety, as well as the IAEA norms. The establishment of military positions on the territory of a nuclear facility and the conduct of hostilities from such a site constitutes an act of nuclear terrorism that requires a decisive and unified response from the international community.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine expresses its gratitude to the IAEA and Director General Rafael Grossi personally for their unwavering commitment to the principles of independent monitoring, objective documentation, and prompt reporting to the global community about the real threats posed by Russia at the Zaporizhzhia NPP. Thanks to the Agency’s reports, our international partners receive credible and impartial information on the dangers faced daily by Ukraine and all of Europe.
We call on our international partners to intensify pressure on the Russian Federation, demanding the immediate demilitarization and de-occupation of the Zaporizhzhia NPP and the return of the facility to the full control of its legitimate operator – the Ukrainian Energoatom.
