IAEA warns against attacks

Rafael Mariano Grossi told the U.N. Security Council on May 20 that any attack on or near a nuclear power plant could have “the most serious” consequences after a drone strike near the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in the United Arab Emirates. The International Atomic Energy Agency chief said the strike caused a fire in an electrical generator outside the plant’s inner perimeter and forced emergency diesel generators to power Barakah’s unit 3 until off-site electricity was restored. Radiation levels stayed normal and no injuries were reported, according to Grossi. The warning landed as Russia and Belarus launched nuclear-related military drills on May 21 and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said Moscow would face a “devastating” response if it used a nuclear weapon against Ukraine. ### What did Grossi tell the Security Council? Grossi said on May 20 that a direct hit on Barakah could lead to “a very high release of radioactivity to the environment,” according to World Nuclear News’ account of his Security Council briefing. He said an attack that disabled power lines to the plant could raise the risk of reactor core melting, with possible evacuations, shelter orders, iodine distribution and food restrictions extending from a few to several hundred kilometers away. Barakah, in the United Arab Emirates, was struck on Sunday morning by a drone that caused a fire in equipment outside the inner perimeter, Grossi said. The UAE told the IAEA its investigation found the drone, along with others that were intercepted, originated from Iraqi territory. ### Why did the IAEA warning matter beyond the UAE? The IAEA said it was continuing emergency-preparedness work in the Gulf and stood ready to send nuclear safety and security experts if needed. Grossi said he had been in contact with leaders across the region and would travel to the Gulf soon to continue that work. The agency’s warning came against a wider backdrop of ceasefire diplomacy and military risk around the Ukraine war. A House of Commons Library briefing published on February 24 said three rounds of talks among U.S., Ukrainian and Russian officials in late January and February 2026 failed to produce a breakthrough, and further talks scheduled for early March in the United Arab Emirates were postponed. ### What did Russia and Belarus announce on May 21? Russia and Belarus began a three-day exercise involving nuclear munitions and nuclear-capable missiles on May 21, according to The Independent’s live report. Russia’s defense ministry said the drills included testing nuclear-capable missiles and procedures for moving them covertly ahead of launch. The same report said Russia had deployed more than 64,000 personnel, over 7,800 pieces of military equipment, more than 200 missile launchers, more than 140 aircraft, 73 surface ships and 13 submarines, including eight strategic missile submarines. (world-nuclear-news.org) Those figures were attributed by The Independent to Russia’s defense ministry. ### What did NATO say about the drills? Mark Rutte said at a pre-ministerial press conference at NATO headquarters on May 21 that Russia knew “the reaction is devastating” if it attacked Ukraine with a nuclear weapon, according to The Independent. Rutte said the alliance was monitoring the exercises closely. Volodymyr Zelensky also warned of a possible new Russian ground offensive toward Kyiv that could be enabled by deeper Belarusian involvement, The Independent reported. (independent.co.uk) That warning came as the Russia-Belarus drills were starting north of Ukraine. ### Where do the diplomacy and military moves meet? The House of Commons Library said U.S. policy had shifted toward seeking a negotiated settlement and that Washington viewed a longer-term peace agreement as possible only after hostilities ceased. The same briefing said interim ceasefire efforts were underway and that the approach had unsettled some European allies. (independent.co.uk) The next concrete milestones are already on the calendar. Russia and Belarus said the nuclear exercise that began on May 21 will run for three days, and Grossi said he will travel to the Gulf soon to continue IAEA safety work with regional authorities. (world-nuclear-news.org) (commonslibrary.parliament.uk)