14th August, 2026 | News

Russia Accuses Ukraine of Striking Fuel Trucks Near Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant

Russia’s state nuclear corporation has accused Ukrainian forces of striking vehicles transporting diesel fuel to the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, reportedly killing two Russian servicemen and injuring several others.

Alexei Likhachev, head of Russia’s state nuclear corporation, said the incident occurred on Friday, claiming that Ukrainian forces carried out several coordinated attacks on fuel trucks near the perimeter of the nuclear facility.

According to Likhachev, two Russian servicemen involved in supporting the fuel delivery were killed, while several others sustained injuries, with some reportedly in serious condition.

The allegations have raised fresh concerns over the safety of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, Europe’s largest nuclear facility, which has remained a major point of contention between Russia and Ukraine since Russian forces took control of the site in the early stages of the war in 2022.

The plant has six reactors and depends on diesel generators to maintain critical cooling systems when external electricity supplies are unavailable.

The facility experienced a prolonged disruption to its external power supply in August and September, with its two external power connections reportedly remaining offline for almost three weeks.

The diesel fuel being transported to the plant is currently not being used to generate electricity, according to the report.

Ukraine has continued to demand that Russia withdraw from the nuclear facility and return control to Kyiv, while Moscow has rejected the demand.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog, continues to maintain a permanent monitoring presence at the Zaporizhzhia plant and Ukraine’s three other operational nuclear facilities.

The IAEA has previously intervened in disputes surrounding the plant, including helping to secure a temporary local ceasefire to allow repairs and efforts to restore external power connections.

The latest allegation comes amid continued tensions around the facility, with both sides repeatedly accusing each other of actions that could threaten nuclear safety.