Russia Accuses Ukraine of Attacking UN Nuclear Experts’ Vehicle Amid Ongoing Conflict

Russia accused the Ukrainian armed forces of attacking a vehicle used to transport experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on December 10, claiming that the incident could have resulted in fatalities on Wednesday.

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi reported on the day of the incident that a drone had struck and severely damaged an official vehicle belonging to the agency while en route to Ukraine’s Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. However, he confirmed that there were no casualties from the attack.

Ukrainian President Zelenskiy Calls Incident a Deliberate Attack

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy characterized the strike as a deliberate Russian attack, asserting that it demonstrated Moscow’s complete disregard for international law and institutions.

In response, Russia’s Foreign Ministry issued a statement on Wednesday, asserting that it was Ukraine that had attacked the IAEA vehicle. “At around 1500, an IAEA vehicle used to transport experts from the agency’s Secretariat was attacked in Kyiv-controlled territory,” the ministry stated.

Russia Condemns Ukraine’s Actions as Provocative

The ministry further claimed that at 1637, Ukraine attacked a Russian convoy returning from the Kamenskoye settlement after delivering IAEA experts to the line of contact. “We share the indignation of the agency’s (IAEA’s) leadership at these provocative and reckless actions by the regime in Kyiv, which not only continues to commit crimes by threatening and attacking Russian nuclear facilities but also dares to put the staff of an international organization and Russian military personnel on rotation in mortal danger,” the statement read.

Russia captured the Zaporizhzhia plant, the largest nuclear power station in Europe, shortly after its forces entered Ukraine in February 2022. Since then, both sides in the 33-month-long conflict have accused each other of shelling the plant and jeopardizing nuclear safety.