Ukrainian Drone Strikes Kursk Nuclear Power Plant Cooling Tower

A Ukrainian drone struck the cooling tower of an operating reactor unit at the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant in Russia on Thursday, September 17, 2026. The strike caused minor damage to the No. 1 reactor, though the International Atomic Energy Agency and Rosatom confirmed the unit continued to function normally without fire or changes in operating mode.

Rosatom, Russia's state nuclear power corporation, reported that radiation levels remained within norms and the reactor continued to work at 100% capacity. The facility, located near the Ukrainian border, has been targeted previously, including a drone attack in July and an incident in August 2025 that damaged an auxiliary transformer.

International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi condemned the strike, stating that all attacks on nuclear facilities are unacceptable and urging maximum military restraint to prevent a nuclear accident. The attack occurred shortly after Donald Trump announced on Monday that Russia and Ukraine had agreed to cease attacks on each other's energy infrastructure to stabilize global fuel prices.