What's happened
On August 27, 2024, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi visited the Kursk nuclear power plant amid escalating tensions following Ukraine's military actions in the region. Russia accused Ukraine of attempting a drone strike on the facility, raising significant nuclear safety concerns as fighting continues nearby.
Why it matters
What the papers say
According to Al Jazeera, Rafael Grossi stated, "Military activity in the vicinity of a nuclear power plant is a serious risk to nuclear safety and security." The Moscow Times reported Grossi's warning that the situation at the Kursk plant is "extremely serious" due to its proximity to ongoing fighting. Meanwhile, the South China Morning Post highlighted that Russia's foreign ministry labeled Ukraine's actions as "nuclear terrorism," reflecting the heightened tensions and accusations exchanged between the two nations.
How we got here
The situation escalated after Ukraine launched a surprise incursion into the Kursk region on August 6, 2024. Russia accused Ukraine of targeting the Kursk nuclear power plant, which is located less than 50 kilometers from active combat zones. The IAEA has been monitoring the safety of nuclear facilities amid ongoing military conflicts since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Common question
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What Are the Latest Developments at the Kursk Nuclear Plant?
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What Are the Current Safety Concerns at the Kursk Nuclear Plant?
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More on these topics
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Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which borders it to the east and northeast.
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Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country located in Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. Covering an area of 17,125,200 square kilometres, it is the largest country in the world by area, spanning more than one-eighth of the Earth's in
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Rafael Mariano Grossi is an Argentine diplomat. Since 3 December 2019, he serves as Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency.
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The International Atomic Energy Agency is an international organization that seeks to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy, and to inhibit its use for any military purpose, including nuclear weapons.
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Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin is a Russian politician and former intelligence officer who has served as President of Russia since 2012, previously holding the position from 1999 until 2008.
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The Moscow Times is an English-language online-only newspaper based in Moscow. It was in print from 1992 until 2017, with a peak circulation of 55,000.
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The United Nations is an intergovernmental organization that aims to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations.
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Zaporizhzhia Oblast, also referred to as Zaporizhzhia, is an oblast of southeast Ukraine whose southern most part has been partially occupied by Russia. Its capital is Zaporizhzhia. The oblast covers an area of 27,183 km², and its population is 1,666,515