Drone strike ignites fire at Kursk Nuclear Power Plant, Russia points at Kyiv
Russia has accused Ukraine of conducting drone strikes that ignited a fire at Kursk Nuclear Power Plant, one of Russia’s three largest power facilities west of Kursk city.
The Kursk Nuclear Power Plant, located only 60 kilometers (38 miles) from the Ukrainian border, said in a statement that Russian air defenses shot down the drone that detonated near the plant shortly after midnight on August 24, 2025.
The incident coincided with Ukraine’s 34th Independence Day from the Soviet Union.
“A combat unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) belonging to the Armed Forces of Ukraine was shot down by air defense systems near the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant,” the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant confirmed on Telegram.
Fire breaks out at Kursk nuclear power plant, no threat to people or facility, Russia’s REN TV reports pic.twitter.com/xGQeeNRByV— TRT World Now (@TRTWorldNow) August 23, 2025
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) stated that it was “aware” of reports indicating that a transformer at the plant had caught fire due to military activity. The explosion forced unit three to operate at only 50% capacity.
“Russia says the reactor unit’s power was reduced due to auxiliary transformer damage but fire extinguished and no injuries,” IAEA confirmed in a statement on X, adding that radiation levels at the site and in the nearby areas have remained within normal limits.
The IAEA has repeatedly warned about the dangers of conflict near nuclear sites since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, particularly highlighting the risks of attacks on the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), the largest nuclear power plant in Europe and one of the 10 largest in the world.
Russia’s Ministry of Defense reported that it shot down a total of 95 Ukrainian drones over Russian territory on the night of August 24, 2025. At the same time, the Ukrainian Air Force said that Russia launched 72 drones and decoys, along with a cruise missile into Ukraine.
Separately, The Wall Street Journal reported that the Pentagon has quietly limited Ukraine’s use of US-supplied ATACMS long-range missiles for strikes inside Russia, highlighting Kyiv’s dependence on domestically developed drones for such cross-border attacks.
RELATED
Pentagon quietly vetoed Ukraine’s long-range strikes inside Russia: WSJ
The post Drone strike ignites fire at Kursk Nuclear Power Plant, Russia points at Kyiv appeared first on AeroTime.
Russia has accused Ukraine of conducting drone strikes that ignited a fire at Kursk Nuclear Power Plant, one…
The post Drone strike ignites fire at Kursk Nuclear Power Plant, Russia points at Kyiv appeared first on AeroTime.
