Russian strike on nuclear waste storage facility to be discussed at IAEA board of governors meeting
Ukraine's Permanent Representative to International Organizations in Vienna, Yury Vitrenko, stated this in a comment to Ukrinform's correspondent in Vienna.
"We reacted immediately to Russia's brazen act of terrorism against Ukraine's nuclear infrastructure. This latest crime by the aggressor will be brought before the IAEA Board of Governors next week. Our partners have been informed," Vitrenko said.
According to him, Ukraine has already informed the IAEA Secretariat about the Russian attack and called on the agency to circulate the information among all member states. Ukraine also requested that the incident be taken into account during preparations for the Board meeting and properly reflected in the agency's reports and communications.
In a formal diplomatic note sent to the Secretariat, Ukraine drew urgent attention to what it described as another Russian attack against the country's nuclear infrastructure — specifically, the Centralized Spent Nuclear Fuel Storage Facility located in the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone. Ukraine stated that the strike poses a serious threat to nuclear safety and security.
The document emphasized that the attack demonstrates Russia's continued disregard for IAEA safety and security standards, agency guidelines, and fundamental principles for protecting nuclear facilities during armed conflict.
According to Ukraine, the strike also confirms that Russia's attacks on Ukrainian nuclear infrastructure form part of a broader pattern of behavior that undermines nuclear safety and security in Ukraine and creates risks with potential consequences extending beyond national borders.
As Ukrinform previously reported, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine stated that at 02:10 on June 7, a hostile attack drone directly struck the container reception building of the Centralized Spent Nuclear Fuel Storage Facility operated by Energoatom near the village of Buriakivka, approximately 15 kilometers from the Chornobyl nuclear plant.
The facility is designed for the long-term safe storage of spent nuclear fuel from VVER-type reactors used at Ukraine's nuclear power plants.
The strike partially damaged the building and caused a fire covering about 40 square meters. Firefighters and an emergency response team extinguished the blaze within an hour. No casualties were reported.
According to the General Staff, debris from a Shahed-type attack drone was found at the scene.
Officials stated that radiation levels remained within normal limits. Emergency services and other involved agencies continue to monitor the situation and carry out safety measures.
Photo: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
