In a United Nations Security Council meeting held on Monday, Russia and Ukraine exchanged blame for the recent attacks on the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, the largest nuclear facility in Europe. The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Mariano Grossi, warned that these attacks have brought the world dangerously close to a nuclear accident.

IAEA Director General Grossi stated that his agency has confirmed three attacks on the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant since April 7. While he did not attribute blame to any specific party, Grossi urged an immediate cessation of these reckless attacks. He emphasized that although no radiological incident has occurred thus far, the attacks pose a significant risk in a context where nuclear safety is already compromised.

The use of remote-controlled drones in the attacks has made it impossible to definitively determine the responsible party, according to Grossi. He emphasized the need for tangible evidence before assigning blame, noting that the attacks involved a multitude of drones.

Located in Russian-controlled territory in southeastern Ukraine, the Zaporizhzhia facility houses six nuclear reactors. Concerns about a potential nuclear catastrophe have been escalating since Russian troops occupied the plant following their invasion in February 2022. The ongoing fighting between Russian and Ukrainian forces and the strained supply situation at the plant have heightened fears of a disaster.

Ukraine and its allies reiterated their accusations against Russia, with the United States stating that Russia does not appear to prioritize the associated risks. U.S. deputy ambassador Robert Wood called on Russia to relinquish control of the plant if it truly cared about preventing potential accidents.

Russia, on the other hand, placed the blame squarely on Ukraine for the attacks. Russia's U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia argued that the IAEA's report did not directly attribute the attacks to any specific side. However, he claimed that Russia knew full well who was responsible and stated that the attacks had intensified in recent months.

Ukraine's ambassador to the U.N., Sergiy Kyslytsya, alleged that the attacks constituted a well-planned false flag operation orchestrated by Russia. He accused Russia of using these attacks as a distraction from their invasion of Ukraine.

The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant is among the ten largest nuclear facilities globally. The current hostilities in the southern part of Ukraine, where the plant is located, have raised concerns about a potential nuclear disaster similar to the Chernobyl incident in 1986. The IAEA clarified that the latest attacks did not compromise the facility, as it is designed to withstand the impact of a commercial airliner crash.

As the conflict continues to escalate, both Russia and Ukraine have frequently traded accusations regarding the attacks on the Zaporizhzhia plant. With no significant advancements made along the 1,000-kilometer front line that spans eastern and southern Ukraine, the conflict has increasingly become a war of attrition, characterized by the use of drones, artillery, and missiles.