Zelensky: Russian drone strike damages Chernobyl power plant
The International Atomic Energy Agency has confirmed the strike.
Zelensky said a Russian attack drone with a "high-explosive warhead" hit the protective shelter overnight, resulting in a fire at the site, which has since been extinguished.
"As of now, radiation levels have not increased and are being constantly monitored," Zelensky said in a statement.
Video of the attack published on X by Zelensky shows the drone hitting the white encasement structure, causing a bright flash. He said it hit the containment shelter of Chernobyl's fourth power unit.
An IAEA team at Chernobyl heard the explosion. The strike happened at around 1:50 a.m. local time, the IAEA said in a statement.
Ukraine's Ministry of Energy said the shelter was "significantly damaged."
"Given the seriousness of this situation, Ukraine emphasizes that Russian attacks on critical energy infrastructure, especially nuclear facilities, are absolutely unacceptable," it said in a statement on Telegram. It called on the international community to pressure Russia to cease attacking the energy infrastructure.
Zelensky said the shelter had been built by Ukraine with the United States and other European nations.
"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," the Ukrainian president said.
"This is a terrorist threat to the entire world."
Chernobyl is the infamous nuclear power plant from the former Soviet Union. A flawed reactor design resulted in a sudden surge of power on April 26, 1986, destroying Unit 4 of the station. A massive amount of radioactive material was released from the site, according to a report from the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
The incident resulted in a 30 km area surrounding to the plant to be closed off, and the evacuation of some 300,000 people.
The radiation effects killed 28 people within four months, the USNRC said.
Concerns about nuclear accidents in Ukraine have skyrocketed amid Russia's invasion, which began on Feb. 24, 2022.
Early in the war, Russian forces took control of both the northern Chernobyl and southern Zaporizhzhia plants, though Ukraine would retake Chernobyl in late March 2022, the IAEA said.
Zaporizhzhya has been repeatedly damaged during the war.
Related Links
Bringing Order To A World Of Disasters
A world of storm and tempest
When the Earth Quakes
