The affected metallic structure covers the reactor that exploded in April 1986. Volodymyr Zelensky assured that no rise in radiation has been noted. He accused Russia of being a “terrorist threat to the whole world”.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the Chernobyl nuclear power plant had been hit by a Russian attack that night, hitting a protective shield over its fourth destroyed reactor.
The structure, known as “New sure confinement”was built in the context of international cooperation to contain the remains of the 1986 Chernobyl disaster. It was designed to prevent radiation leaks and protect the site and the region against environmental risks.
According to the Ukrainian president, the shot of a Russian attack drone carrying a highly explosive warhead damaged the dome, but the fire was extinguished and the radiation levels remained stable.
The situation is monitored to assess any potential risk.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitri Peskov denied the Ukrainian allegations on Friday.
“There is no question of hitting nuclear infrastructure, nuclear energy installations, such an affirmation is not true, our soldiers do not do this”said Peskov at a conference call with journalists, reported by the Associated Press.
Russia denies routinely strike civil installations, especially energy, or aim for the population, however these strikes are regularly proven.
Mr. Zelensky published on social networks a video of the explosion showing the moment of the impact, qualifying the attack on “Terrorist threat to the whole world”.
“The only country in the world which attacks such sites, occupies nuclear power plants and waged war without worrying about the consequences is Russia today.”
This attack underlines the permanent contempt of Russia for world security, added Mr. Zelensky.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (AIEA) has confirmed the explosion and the resulting damage. A drone struck the shield, said the organization.
“The levels of radiation inside and outside remain normal and stable. The IAEA continues to monitor the situation”said the agency in a press release published on X.
Chernobyl, the worst nuclear disaster site in the world, remains a very sensitive place. The explosion of the reactor of the power plant on April 26, 1986 contaminated a large area covering Ukraine, Belarus and Russia.
The site is located about 130 kilometers north of Kyiv. Russian forces briefly occupied him at the start of the invasion.
Mr. Zelensky, who is in Munich to participate in the security conference and at the first meetings with the American administration for a possible peace agreement with Moscow, said: “Russia continues to extend its army and shows no change in its disturbed and anti-human rhetoric”.
ADVERTISEMENT“This means that Putin absolutely does not prepare for negotiations, but that he is preparing to continue to deceive the world.”
The head of the Ukrainian presidential office, Andriy Yermak, said on Telegram that Kyiv would transmit all the information on the attack of Chernobyl to the American administrations at the Munich on security conference.
“Today, we will give a lot of information to our American partners on the Russian attack on the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, on the fact that they constantly steal drones over the Chernobyl area, on threats that they weigh on refuge and nuclear security “said Mr. Yermak.
He added that “Everyone is very angry about this news here in Munich”.
ADVERTISEMENT“In the 1980s, the whole world helped the Kremlin to eliminate this tragedy, when Moscow exposed unprotected people to radiation. The whole world then invested in the refuge.”
Additional sources • Adaptation: Serge Duchêne
