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Drone kills one at Zaporizhzhia bus stop: IAEA

The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine has been under Russian control since 2022. (EPA PHOTO)

The International ‌Atomic Energy ‌Agency says a ⁠drone has exploded ​at a bus stop ⁠used by ‌staff ​of ​Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia ‌nuclear ​power plant, killing one ​and ​injuring ​several ‌others.

The IAEA, the United ‌Nations' nuclear ‌power ⁠watchdog, in a statement on ​X also said the plant's director described the incident as "the worst event the plant has faced".

The agency, citing ⁠the plant's ‌director, ​said the explosion at about 6am caused ‌16 casualties among staff and subcontractors, including ​one death and three serious injuries.

Rafael Grossi
IAEA head Rafael Grossi called military actions against nuclear power plants staff "unacceptable". (EPA PHOTO)

Russian forces seized the ​station, ​Europe's largest ​with six reactors, in ‌the first weeks of their February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, and each side has since regularly accused ​the other of actions compromising nuclear ​safety.

Among recent military incidents, water supplies to parts of the power station were ​hit ​in July.

IAEA director general ​Rafael Grossi on Tuesday ‌called on "military commanders responsible for these actions as well as all others aiming on nuclear power plants and/or their staff to put an immediate stop to these ​unacceptable actions".

They "constitute great risks to nuclear safety and ​security during the ⁠conflict," he said.

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