This photo taken on March 29, 2023 shows the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine. (Photo by Victor/Xinhua)

MOSCOW, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- A bus stop used by staff of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) came under a drone attack, leaving one dead and 17 injured, the plant said on Tuesday.

"The Ukrainian forces launched a targeted strike on a public transport stop in the city of Energodar. At the time, ZNPP employees were there, waiting for a bus that was supposed to take them to their work shifts," the plant said in a statement.

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi described the attack as "an unacceptable act" and added that it posed a risk to the plant's safety.

According to Grossi, such acts run counter to IAEA principles and create serious risks to the nuclear safety and security of the plant amid the ongoing conflict.

The Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, one of Europe's largest nuclear facilities, has been under Russian control since March 2022. It has repeatedly faced nuclear safety challenges since the escalation of the Ukraine crisis.