A Russian drone struck the protective shelter over the destroyed reactor at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed on Friday.
The overnight strike caused a fire at the site, which has since been extinguished.
The attack damaged the shelter covering the remains of Chernobyl’s fourth reactor, which exploded in 1986 in the world’s worst nuclear disaster. The massive steel-and-concrete structure, designed to contain radiation for a century, was hit by a drone carrying a high-explosive warhead.
Zelenskyy termed the incident as a terrorist attack and said, “The only country in the world that attacks such sites, occupies nuclear power plants, and wages war without any regard for the consequences is today’s Russia. This is a terrorist threat to the entire world.”
Radiation levels at the site have remained stable, according to both Zelenskyy and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
The UN nuclear watchdog reported that its personnel stationed at Chernobyl “heard an explosion coming from the New Safe Confinement” at around 2 am local time.
“They were informed that a UAV drone had struck the NSC roof,” the IAEA posted on X, adding that fire safety personnel responded within minutes.
Zelenskyy condemned the attack and wrote, “Last night, a Russian attack drone with a high-explosive warhead struck the shelter protecting the world from radiation at the destroyed 4th power unit of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. This shelter was built by Ukraine together with other countries of Europe and the world, together with America – all those committed to real security for humanity.”
“The shelter at the Chernobyl NPP was damaged by this drone. The fire has been extinguished. As of now, radiation levels have not increased and are being constantly monitored. According to initial assessments, the damage to the shelter is significant. Every night, Russia carries out such attacks on Ukraine’s infrastructure and cities. Russia continues to expand its army and shows no change in its deranged, anti-human state rhetoric. This means that Putin is definitely not preparing for negotiations — he is preparing to continue deceiving the world. That is why there must be unified pressure from all who value life – pressure on the aggressor. Russia must be held accountable for its actions”, he added.
The IAEA, which monitors nuclear safety worldwide, said there was “no room for complacency” and remains on high alert after the incident. Its director general, Rafael Mariano Grossi, warned of potential risks in military conflicts involving nuclear sites.
Chernobyl, located near Ukraine’s border with Belarus, has been a focal point of nuclear concerns since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Russian troops briefly seized the plant in early 2022 but later withdrew.
The attack comes amid increased military activity around the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in southern Ukraine. In December, Ukraine and Russia accused each other of launching a drone attack on an IAEA convoy headed to the facility.
According to CNN, Ukrainian forces claimed Russia launched 133 drones across Ukraine on Thursday night, with 73 being shot down. The strike on Chernobyl occurred just hours before the Munich Security Conference, where Zelenskyy is set to meet US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Zelenskyy had urged world leaders to intensify pressure on Russia, stating that Moscow “must be held accountable for its actions.
