TASS reported that the fire at the cooling tower of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant occurred after a Ukrainian drone attack on August 11.
Russia and Ukraine blame each other for this fire, according to AFP. Both sides said that no spike in radiation levels had been detected around the nuclear power plant, which has been under the control of Russian forces since the early days of the conflict that broke out in Ukraine in February 2022.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has investigated and denied allegations that Russia was behind the above fire - Mr. Mikhail Ulyanov, Permanent Representative of Russia to the IAEA in Vienna (Austria), said.
"Anti-Russian sources continue to accuse that the fire at the cooling tower of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant was caused by the Russian side, who burned car tires there. Such accusations are ridiculous , especially considering the fact that IAEA experts, who arrived at the factory immediately, officially refuted these fake reports," Mr. Ulyanov wrote on his Telegram account on August 18.
Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is located on the east bank of the Dnipro River - the front line in southern Ukraine.
Ukraine controls the other side of the river and Russia has repeatedly accused Ukraine of deliberately shelling the factory. Ukraine denies these accusations.
For its part, Kiev accused Moscow of militarizing the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, including placing heavy weapons there since the beginning of the conflict.
The IAEA has staff stationed at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and has repeatedly called on all parties to exercise restraint. The IAEA fears reckless military action could cause a major nuclear accident at Europe's largest nuclear power plant.
