Russian drone hits facility near Chernobyl, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy says
Russian forces attacked the area around the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Sunday, and a “shahed” drone hit one of the Centralized Spent Fuel Storage Facility’s buildings.
“An extremely critical infrastructure facility — and an extremely vile Russian strike,” Zelenskyy said. “Russia deliberately struck this particular nuclear infrastructure facility.”
The International Atomic Energy Agency, which was told about the attack, said the strike caused “significant damage” to the facility’s fuel reception building, including the facade, windows and doors. Nearby buildings were affected by the blast wave as well, according to the IAEA.
Rafael Mariano Grossi, the IAEA’s director general, called the incident “deeply concerning,” as large amounts of nuclear material are held in storage near the attacked building.
Ukrain’s atomic agency, Energoatom, said the radiation situation at the Central Nuclear Fuel Storage Facility site remains within normal limits. A fire, which reached 430 square feet, was quickly put out.
No spent nuclear fuel was stored in the facility, Energoatom said.
“As of now, there are no readings exceeding normal background radiation levels,” Zelenskyy said. “But there is certainly an increase in Russia’s brazenness, which long ago went off the charts.”
Overnight, there were also Russian strikes on other civilian facilities in 13 Ukrainian regions, Zelenskyy said.
“In total, over the course of this past week, Russia launched 88 missiles, more than 3,250 attack drones, and around 1,800 guided aerial bombs against Ukraine,” Zelenskyy said. “Pressure on Russia must be increased.”
Three people died in a different Russian attack Sunday in Balabyne, a settlement in Zaporizhzhia, Ivan Fedorov, head of the Zaporizhzhia Regional Military Administration, said.
The Kyiv Post reports high-explosive munitions left local streets littered with shattered glass, shrapnel and pulverized debris. Most of the impact was on a local public transportation hub, the new outlet reported.
This comes as Zelenskyy takes part in talks with United Kingdom Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in England.
“Now it is important to discuss everything and agree on the key points at the leaders’ level,” Zelenskyy said on X. “The main thing is our defense in the war, more cooperation for the security of all of Europe in the direction of air defense, and our shared view on diplomatic prospects: Europe must be in the negotiations and must be strong.”
Zelenskyy is scheduled to meet with King Charles III on Monday.
Although Zelenskyy renewed a call for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, the latter said he saw “no point” in a face-to-face meeting.
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Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
