Worker killed at Zaporizhzhia NPP: second staff fatality resulting from drone attacks

On November 9, drone attacks resulted in the deaths of two workers at energy facilities near the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP)—one ZNPP employee and a worker from the neighboring Zaporizhzhia Thermal Power Plant.

According to reports from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), a ZNPP worker was killed on November 9 following a drone strike. This incident marks yet another instance of plant personnel being killed during Russia’s full-scale invasion, further exacerbating threats to nuclear safety.

This is the second death among the nuclear plant’s staff in recent weeks. A man employed as a welder in the plant’s repair workshop was killed on October 29 during a drone attack.

Separately, an employee of the Zaporizhzhia Thermal Power Plant—located near the nuclear facility—was also killed in a drone attack.

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi strongly condemned these fatal attacks. He emphasized that such strikes are unacceptable and violate essential nuclear safety principles.

All such attacks on nuclear plant personnel must cease immediately.

ZNPP staff must be able to carry out their vital work without undue stress or fear.

On November 8, the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant completely lost its external power supply following the disconnection of the final transmission line connecting it to the Ukrainian power grid. This marks the 16th instance of a complete loss of external power at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) since the beginning of 2026, posing a threat to nuclear and radiation safety.

An attempt to automatically re-energize the line was unsuccessful. The plant’s internal power needs were met exclusively through the operation of backup diesel generators.

By that evening, Ukrainian energy specialists had restored the 330 kV “Ferosplavna-1” power transmission line, which provides external power to the Zaporizhzhia NPP. The plant is currently receiving electricity from the Ukrainian power grid once again.

At the temporarily occupied Zaporizhzhia NPP, the situation regarding nuclear safety is deteriorating: the water level in the cooling pond continues to drop, diesel fuel reserves are insufficient, and the plant faces an acute shortage of qualified personnel. Meanwhile, Russia has rejected a proposal from Ukraine aimed at improving the ZNPP’s external power supply.

A Russian attack on the containment structure of the destroyed fourth reactor unit at the Chernobyl NPP, combined with strikes on the energy grid, created risks that even multi-layered safety systems had not anticipated.