Russia has accused Ukraine of orchestrating the attack, claiming that it resulted in injuries to three individuals. However, Ukraine has vehemently denied any involvement in the incident.
The massive nuclear facility, under Russian control and housing six reactors, sits squarely on the frontline of the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Repeatedly, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) of the UN has underscored the dangers associated with such attacks.
Rafael Grossi, the head of the IAEA, described Sunday’s drone strike as “reckless” and deemed it “a significant escalation of the nuclear safety and security risks” confronting the plant.
The Zaporizhzhia plant, situated in southern Ukraine, boasts the title of the largest in Europe. Following the onset of the full-scale invasion by Russian forces in February 2022, it was seized and has since been occupied, along with the majority of the Zaporizhzhia region.
The facility ceased power generation in 2022; however, it requires a continuous electricity supply to cool one of its reactors, which is undergoing “hot conservation,” indicating that it is not completely offline.
The IAEA, which maintains a team of experts stationed at Zaporizhzhia, verified the occurrence of “physical impact from drone attacks” at the plant, including at one of its reactors.
The administration, appointed by Russia at the plant, asserted that radiation levels were normal and underscored that no major damage had been incurred.
The IAEA clarified that the damage had not compromised nuclear safety; however, it cautioned that “this is a significant incident with the potential to undermine the integrity of the reactor’s containment system.”
Mr Grossi specified there had been “at least three direct hits” against the plant’s “main reactor containment structures”.
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“This cannot happen,” he said. “No one can conceivably benefit or get any military or political advantage from attacks against nuclear facilities. This is a no go.”
Both Russia and Ukraine regularly accuse each other of shelling the plant and risking a serious nuclear accident.
On Monday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the attacks were a “very dangerous provocation”.
Ukrainian Main Intelligence Directorate spokesman Andriy Yusov told the Ukrainska Pravda news website that “Ukraine was not involved in any armed provocations on the site.”
The plant is “illegally occupied by Russia,” he added.
Mr Yusov accused Russia of endangering the nuclear facility, the civilian population and the environment by carrying out strikes on the plant itself.
Last month the IAEA said its team of experts at the plant had heard explosions every day for a week.