An atomic power plant located in western Russia, where fighting between Russian and Ukrainian forces is intensifying, is vulnerable to serious accidents. This warning comes from the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi. During a visit to the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant, he stated that the facility lacks the protective dome that would shield it from missiles, drones, and artillery.

“The danger or possibility of a nuclear accident has arisen here,” Grossi told journalists after his visit near Kurchatov in the Kursk region, where Ukrainian forces crossed the border three weeks ago. The Kursk Nuclear Power Plant, which uses the same RBMK technology as the infamous Chernobyl facility, does not possess the modern protective structures characteristic of contemporary nuclear power plants. Grossi pointed out that the reactor core is only protected by a conventional roof, making it extremely vulnerable to attacks.

“This makes it highly exposed to artillery strikes or attacks from drones or missiles,” he emphasized. Russian President Vladimir Putin accused Ukraine last week of attempting to attack the Kursk plant; however, Ukraine has yet to respond to these allegations.

Grossi stressed that his visit aimed to raise global awareness about the situation and declared, “Essentially, a nuclear power plant must never be attacked.” The IAEA has repeatedly warned of the dangers of fighting near nuclear power plants since the onset of Russia’s full-scale military offensive in Ukraine in February 2022.

Defense analyst Pavel Felgenhauer told Al Jazeera that the ongoing attacks near the Kursk plant could alter the course of the war. “The front lines are currently far away, but this is a dangerous situation,” he said, adding that the Ukrainians have the initiative in the north while the Russians maintain control in the east. Reports from Kyiv indicate that the Russians are trying to secure strategic positions, especially in the Donbas region, where control over key areas is crucial for both Russian and Ukrainian forces.