Attacks on Russian nuclear facilities could spill over to Europe

Ukraine's drone attacks on Russian nuclear facilities may lead to a catastrophe in Europe, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova warned on Saturday.

In a statement on the ministry's website, Zakharova condemned Ukraine's attack on the Russian Kursk nuclear power plant, saying Kyiv "embarked on a path of nuclear terrorism."

"This is not the first time Kyiv has threatened the safety of the Kursk NPP. In August 2022, as a result of the actions of Ukrainian saboteurs, the pillars of power lines were damaged, which created risks to the safe operation of the plant," she said.

Zakharova called on the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the UN to pay attention to such actions.

Russia, for its part, "strongly condemns Ukraine's malicious plans to actively use terrorist methods against Russian nuclear power plants, which could lead to a large-scale nuclear catastrophe in Europe," she said.

Russia said Friday a Ukrainian drone exploded just a few kilometers off the Kursk nuclear power plant, which is located near Russia's border with Ukraine.

As a result, a residential building was damaged, causing no casualties, according to the local authorities.​​​​​​​