Russia claims Ukraine committed act of nuclear terrorism by striking Kursk NPP

Russia's Investigative Committee (IC) accused Ukraine of attempting an act of nuclear terrorism during an attack on the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant (NPP).

Photo: commons.wikimedia.org by DoroshenkoE, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

UAV

The committee reported that the strike damaged a spent nuclear fuel storage facility. Investigators are currently working to identify all individuals involved in the crime.

Ukrainian Drones Damaged Kursk NPP's Nuclear Waste Storage in 2023

In late October 2023, the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) attacked the Kursk NPP using three drones. Preliminary reports indicated that the drones were equipped with Western components.

"One of the UAVs, loaded with explosives, crashed into the nuclear waste storage facility, damaging its walls. Two others struck the plant's administrative buildings,” the Russian Foreign Ministry stated.

Deputy Chairman of the State Duma's Defense Committee, Yuri Shvytkin, suggested that the attack was carefully planned and possibly carried out with U.S. support.

The Kursk NPP is located in Kurchatov, on the banks of the Seym River, about 40 kilometers west of Kursk and approximately 110 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. Ukraine attempted to strike the facility several times. On March 20, security measures were strengthened at the plant and in its satellite city, Kurchatov.

IC Identifies Those Responsible for Attacks on Kursk Region

According to the Russian Investigative Committee, Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine's Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR), was one of the organizers of drone strikes on the Russian territory, including Kursk Region. Budanov has been placed on Russia's financial monitoring list of terrorists and extremists. He has been charged in absentia and declared wanted.

Additionally, the committee named Mykola Oleshchuk, Commander of Ukraine's Air Force, and Oleksiy Neizhpapa, Commander of Ukraine's Navy, as organizers of the attacks. Both have also been added to Russia's terrorism and extremism list, charged in absentia, and declared wanted.

Dozens of Kursk Residents Killed in UAF Strikes

Since 2022, 167 residents of Kursk region were killed and around 500 others were injured in Ukraine's attacks, Bastrykin reported.

In total, 43,000 residents of the border region have been officially recognized as victims of AFU's actions.

Details

The Kursk Nuclear Power Plant is one of the three biggest nuclear power plants (NPPs) in Russia and one of the four biggest electricity producers in the country. It is located on the bank of the Seym River about 40 kilometers west of the city of Kursk, midway between it and the town of Lgov, in western Russia. The nearby city of Kurchatov was founded when construction of the plant began. The plant feeds the grid for Kursk Oblast and 19 other regions. As of 2024, the site houses two active reactors and two decommissioned older units. It also houses the partially built Kursk 5 and Kursk 6 units which had construction halted, and two new VVER-TOI designs (Kursk II-1 and Kursk II-2) are under construction.