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By Shane Croucher
Senior Editor
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A state-run Russian nuclear energy company accused Ukraine of striking the cooling tower of the Novovoronezh nuclear power plant with a drone overnight into Tuesday.
Newsweek has contacted the Ukrainian Air Force for comment.
Rosenergoatom, which operates the nuclear plant, said in a statement posted to Telegram that the drone "detonated" after being "suppressed by technical means" and colliding with the cooling tower.
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The incident highlights the severe nuclear risks posed by the war between Russia and Ukraine, with both sides hosting nuclear power plants affected by the fighting.
"There were no damages or casualties; however, a dark mark remained on the cooling tower from the detonation’s effects," Rosenergoatom said in its statement, originally in Russian.
"The safe operation of the nuclear power plant is ensured. The radiation background at the Novovoronezh NPP industrial site and the surrounding area has not changed and remains at natural levels. Law enforcement agencies are working at the site."
It said the plant's operations were unaffected.
"This is yet another act of aggression by the Ukrainian Armed Forces against Russian nuclear power plants. Earlier, there had been attempts to strike key facilities of the Kursk and Smolensk NPPs," the Rosenergoatom statement added.
Newsweek has contacted the U.N.'s International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for comment.
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Zelensky: Russia Deliberately Creating Threat of Radiation Incidents
Ukraine has previously accused Russia of reckless attacks around its nuclear sites, such as at Zaporizhzhia—currently occupied by Russia—and Chernobyl.
“Russia is deliberately creating the threat of radiation incidents,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said late Wednesday after a Russian attack on the energy grid left the Chernobyl nuclear plant without power for several hours.
Both Chernobyl and Zaporizhzhia are not currently operational, but they require a constant power supply to run crucial cooling systems for spent fuel rods in order to avoid a potential nuclear incident.
A blackout could also blind radiation monitoring systems installed to boost security at Chernobyl and operated by the IAEA.
Zelensky criticized the IAEA's "weak" response to Russian strikes.
“Every day of Russia’s war, every strike on our energy facilities, including those connected to nuclear safety, is a global threat,” he said. “Weak and half-measures will not work. Strong action is needed.”
The U.S.-based Institute for the Study of War said Russia’s occupation of Zaporizhzhia has “significantly degraded” the security of the plant, Europe's biggest and one of the 10 biggest nuclear facilities in the world.
Updated, 10/7/25, 9:47 a.m. ET: This article was updated with more information.
This article includes reporting by The Associated Press.
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