Downed Ukrainian drone causes fire at Russian nuclear power plant

Downed Ukrainian drone causes fire at Russian nuclear power plant

NEWS

Express newspaper

24/08/2025 9:38

A fire has broken out at the Kursk nuclear power plant in Russia after the military shot down a Ukrainian drone that was flying near the plant, authorities said.

The drone – one of several reported by Russian authorities on August 23 – crashed into a transformer, causing a fire. The flames were later extinguished and no casualties were reported.

“A combat drone belonging to the Armed Forces of Ukraine was shot down by air defense systems near the Kursk nuclear power plant,” the plant’s press office said in a statement published on Telegram.

“Upon crashing, the drone exploded, causing damage to the transformer,” the announcement said.

As a result of the explosion, the plant’s unit three reduced capacity to 50 percent, authorities said.

Radiation levels at the plant and surrounding areas have not exceeded normal limits.

There has been no immediate comment from Ukraine. Kiev has stepped up drone strikes inside Russia in recent months in response to Russia’s continued attacks on Ukraine. Kiev says the strikes are aimed at destroying infrastructure critical to Moscow’s military efforts.

The news of the fire at the plant was first reported by Russia’s federal television network, REN TV. The network reported that the transformer was not part of the plant’s nuclear section. It is unclear in which part of the plant the fire broke out.

The Kursk NPP is located 40 kilometers west of the city of Kursk – the regional capital – on the banks of the Seim River. The first unit of the plant was put into operation in 1976. Additional units were added to the plant in 1979, 1983 and 1985.

The International Atomic Energy Agency has repeatedly warned about the dangers posed by fighting around nuclear plants since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

On August 23, the St. Petersburg and Leningrad regions were also attacked by drones, according to regional authorities. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin also reported that a drone flew towards Moscow, but the aircraft crashed. /REL/