A loud explosion was heard in the early hours of Friday over the Russian city of Kurchatov, an industrial hub adjacent to the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant, multiple Telegram channels have reported.
They said locals found what looked like drone parts on the ground.
According to the channel SHOT, windows were shattered in several houses. It added that air defenses had been activated.
Photos posted on Telegram show what appear to be drone parts found in the city.
The Kursk Region shares a border with Ukraine. The power plant is located roughly 4 kilometers (2.4 miles) outside urban areas. The company Energotex, which makes equipment for nuclear reactors, is also based in Kurchatov.
A “powerful explosion” was also reported in Voronezh, the capital of the region to the east of Kursk.
The Russian border regions of Kursk, Bryansk and Belgorod have been frequently shelled by artillery and attacked by drones since Moscow launched its military operation in Ukraine in February 2022. Russian officials have accused Kiev of plotting sabotage at the country’s major infrastructure sites, including nuclear power plants.
