Drone strike damages cooling tower at Russian Kursk nuclear plant

Photo — K / Pexels

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reports that the cooling tower of a reactor unit at the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant in Russia was hit by a drone early Thursday while the unit was online, marking one of the most serious recent incidents involving nuclear infrastructure in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.[11][6] According to the IAEA's statement, the reactor's operating mode did not change and no fire broke out, suggesting that safety systems and core functions were not immediately compromised, but the strike underscores the vulnerability of auxiliary and support structures at nuclear facilities in active conflict zones.[11] The attack comes amid continued Russian missile and drone assaults on Ukrainian targets and heightened regional tensions, raising concerns among nuclear watchdogs and governments about escalation risks and the possibility that future strikes could more directly affect safety-critical systems.[1][10] International attention is now focused on Moscow's ability to secure the plant and on Kyiv's and Russia's military strategies, as any further damage to nuclear infrastructure could have cross-border environmental and humanitarian consequences and potentially draw a wider international response.[6][11]

Sources: Times of India, Anadolu Agency, Selection Pro current affairs, Euronews