VIENNA, June 9. /TASS/. Russia notified the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) about a kamikaze drone attack on the electric switchyard of the Zaporozhye thermal power plant (ZTPP), previously connected to the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant (ZNPP), the IAEA said in a statement on Friday.

"The Russian Federation, which currently controls the plant, informed in a letter to [IAEA] Director General [Rafael] Grossi that there had been ‘incoming strikes with the use of kamikaze drones’ on Thursday and again today against the electric switchyard of the ZTPP, which in the past has been used for providing back-up electricity to the ZNPP until the last such 330 kilovolt (kV) power line was damaged more than three months ago," the organization said in a statement.

"Director General Grossi said the IAEA expects to independently assess this information, which requires accessing the ZTPP switchyard," IAEA said.

The international organization reiterated that the ZNPP security principles, earlier put forward by the IAEA director-general, prohibit any fire towards or from the station. Grossi also expressed hope that IAEA experts will be granted access to the switchyard, because they are obliged to monitor compliance with these principles. The IAEA chief will head to the station next week, leading an extended team of experts.

Addressing a UN Security Council session on May 30, Grossi put forward five security principles for the ZNPP: there should be no attack of any kind from or against the plant; ZNPP should not be used as storage or a base for heavy weapons or military personnel that could be used for an attack from the plant; off-site supply of power to the plant should not be put at risk; all structures, systems and components essential to the safe and secure operation of ZNPP should be protected from attacks or acts of sabotage; and, finally, no action should be taken that undermines these principles. Russian Permanent Representative to the UN Vasily Nebenzya said measures taken by Moscow are consistent with these principles.