Kiev, Ukraine (AP) – A Russian drone with a highly explosive warhead hit a protective containment shell at Chernobyl nuclear power plant in the Kiev region in the middle of the night, Ukrainian President Voldy Mieselensky said on Friday However, a senior Russian official refused. strike.
According to Zelenskyy and the United Nations agency, radiation levels in plants have not increased. The International Atomic Energy Agency said the strike did not violate the factory's internal containment shell.
The IAEA did not accuse, saying that only teams stationed at the site had heard the explosion and were informed that the drone had hit the shell.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov argued that the Ukrainians were responsible. “There is no talk of strikes on nuclear infrastructure, nuclear energy facilities. Such claims are not true. Our military won't,” Peskov said in a conference call with reporters.
It was not possible to independently confirm who was behind the strike.
This photo, provided by Ukrainian emergency services, covers the damaged fourth reactor at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant after a Russian drone attack in Chernobyl, Ukraine on Friday, February 14, 2025 Damaged stones can be seen. AP)
The strike came two days after US President Donald Trump said he would meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war. Government, in all peace negotiations.
It was more unwelcome news for Ukraine. Ukraine is slowly pushed backwards by larger Russian troops along part of the 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) frontline, requiring more Western help.
Ukraine is planning to provide US officials with more information about the Chernobyl Retrike at the Munich Security Conference starting Friday, and Andri Yermack, head of the Ukrainian presidential office, wrote on the Telegram Channel.
Zelenskyy said the strike damaged the structure and caused a fire. Ukrainian emergency services provided photos that said they showed searchlights illuminating tattered holes on the damaged stone co roof.
Without providing evidence, Peskov suggested that Ukrainian officials had insisted on the drone strike because they wanted to block efforts to end the war through negotiations between Trump and Putin.
“It is clear that there are people who continue to oppose the attempt to commence the negotiation process (with the Ukrainian government), and that those people will do everything to derail this process,” Peskov said. Ta.
The UN International Atomic Energy Agency said the Chernobyl strike occurred at 1:50am local time (2350 GMT).
The hit outer shell is a protective cover built in 2016 on a heavy concrete containment structure. The inner layer was placed at the factory's fourth reactor shortly after the 1986 disaster. This was one of the worst accidents in nuclear history. Containment shells want to prevent radiation leakage.
The three-year Russian-Ukraine war brought repeated warnings of danger to four nuclear power plants in Ukraine, particularly at the Russian-occupied Zaporidia nuclear power plants in southern Ukraine. world.
IAEA Chihurafael Rossi said in X that the IAEA has “remained high warning” as the Chernobyl strike and recent increase in military activity near Zaporidia plants “underlined sustained nuclear safety risks.” He said he added.
The IAEA said the site's officials responded within minutes of the strike, adding that there were no casualties.
“Inner and outer radiation levels remain normal and stable,” the IAEA said in X.
Zelenskyy claimed on Telegram that the Chernobyl strike showed “Putin certainly wasn't preparing for negotiations.”
“Russia is the only state in the world that can attack such facilities, occupy the territory of nuclear power plants and carry out hostility without considering the consequences. And this is the terrorist terrorists against the whole world. It's a threat,” he wrote.
“Russia must be responsible for what it is doing,” he added.
