Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on August 17, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 22, 2026
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Russia's FSB claims to have intercepted a Ukrainian drone targeting the Smolensk nuclear power plant, with no damage reported.
MOSCOW (Reuters) -Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) said that it had prevented a Ukrainian drone attack on the Smolensk nuclear power plant in western Russia on Sunday.
The Soviet-era Smolensk nuclear power station, about 330 km (200 miles) southwest of Moscow near the border with Belarus, has three RBMK reactors - the same basic design as the reactors at the Chernobyl nuclear power station.
The FSB, the main successor to the Soviet-era KGB, said that Russian radio-electronic warfare systems intercepted a Ukrainian drone over the territory of the Smolensk nuclear power station.
"Electronic warfare forces intercepted an aircraft-type UAV - a Ukrainian-made 'Spis' attack UAV - over the territory of the Smolensk Nuclear Power Plant," the FSB said in a statement.
"The Ukrainian armed forces continue provocations in the form of an attempted attack by unmanned aerial vehicles on Russian nuclear energy facilities."
The Smolensk nuclear power station said it was operating as normal. There was no reported damage to any of the reactors or key operating infrastructure.
Russian state news agency RIA Novosti published pictures which showed what it said were parts of the drone. Russia's defence ministry said the Ukrainian drone had been heading towards the Smolensk nuclear power station, Interfax reported.
Reuters was unable to immediately verify battlefield reports from either side. There was no immediate comment from Ukraine on the Russian reports.
(Reporting by Reuters; editing by Guy Faulconbridge)
A nuclear power plant is a facility that generates electricity using nuclear reactions, typically through the fission of uranium or plutonium. These plants produce significant amounts of energy but also require stringent safety measures due to potential hazards.
Electronic warfare refers to military actions that use electromagnetic spectrum to control the environment and disrupt enemy operations. This includes jamming communications and radar systems to protect military assets.
A drone is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that can be controlled remotely or fly autonomously. Drones are used for various purposes, including surveillance, reconnaissance, and delivery of payloads.
The Federal Security Service (FSB) is the principal security agency of Russia, responsible for counterintelligence, internal security, and counter-terrorism. It is the successor to the Soviet KGB.
A reactor is a device used to initiate and control a sustained nuclear chain reaction. In nuclear power plants, reactors are used to produce heat, which is then converted into electricity.
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