At least three people were killed in a Russian missile strike on the southeastern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia, according to regional governor Ivan Fedorov. In a Telegram post, Fedorov stated that Russian forces hit a residential neighborhood with three guided bombs, destroying multiple homes. He shared images showing burning buildings and emergency crews working amid the rubble.
Kyiv Rejects Russian Accusations
On July 16, 2026, Kyiv dismissed Moscow’s claims of Ukrainian involvement in an attack that killed the chief engineer of the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant as “baseless.” In an official statement, Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized that “there is no confirmation of the Russian version from independent sources” and stressed that “information from Russian occupation forces cannot be considered credible.” The ministry also accused Russia of attempting to intimidate the international community with threats of a nuclear accident.
IAEA Condemns Attack
Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), condemned the attack — which Russia blames on Ukraine — calling it an “unacceptable assault on the nuclear plant and its management” and a “serious threat to nuclear safety.” Grossi renewed his urgent appeal for an immediate halt to all attacks against or near nuclear facilities and their personnel.
Details of the Incident
On Wednesday, Alexey Likhachev, head of Russia’s state nuclear energy corporation Rosatom, announced that a Ukrainian drone struck an official vehicle traveling between the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant and the town of Enerhodar, killing chief engineer Alexander Yakovlev and a driver.
Earlier, on Friday, the Kremlin had accused Kyiv of escalating “terrorist” actions against the plant — seized by Russian forces in March 2022, just days after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began.