Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky denounced a Russian drone against Chernobyl destroyed nuclear central. Ukraine’s state emergency service later reported that background radiation limits remain within normal boundaries.
“Last night, a Russian drone, with an explosive warhead, reached the shelter that protected the world from radiation in the destroyed 4th Energy Unit of the Chernobyl Nuclear Central,” wrote Zelensky on social network X.
This shelter that covers the nuclear unit was damaged, giving rise to a fire, which was extinguished. “Radiation levels have not increased and are being constantly monitored. According to the initial reviews, the damage to the shelter is significant, ”said Zelensky.
The video published by the Ukrainian President on Social Network X shows a bright flash coming out of a large structure, followed by a smoke tower that went up to the sky at night.
The Russian shock drone with a coat combat part hit the shelter this night, which protects the world from the radiation of the destroyed 4th power unit of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.
This shelter was built with other countries in Europe and the world, together with America – with everyone who wants …
– Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Volodymyr Zelenskyy (@zelenskyyua)
The Atomic International Energy Agency wrote on the same social network as just before two in the morning (in Ukraine) its team that was on site “heard an explosion from the new safe confinement, which protects the remains of reactor 4 from the former central plant From Chernobyl, causing a fire. ” AIEA employees “were informed that a UAV [drone] reached the ceiling ”from the building.
Unit 4 in Chernobyl- near the Ukraine border with Belarusia- exploded in 1986, sending extensive clouds of radioactivity by parts of the Soviet Union and Europe. It was later encapsulated in a kind of concrete grave and steel. This shelter was the work of an international coalition and took decades until it was completed. It was finally finalized in 2017 and weighs 35,000 tons.
The Chernobyl incident occurred hours before the start of the Munich Security Conference in Germany, where US Vice President Jd Vance should meet Zelensky. European leaders are still seeing how they can handle President Donald Trump’s bombastic announcement that negotiations to end Ukraine’s war will begin “immediately” after making a “highly productive” phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, on Wednesday.
During the night of 13-14 Feb, at around 01:50, IAEA team at the Chornobyl site heard an explosion coming from the New Safe Confinement, which protects the remains of reactor 4 of the former Chornobyl NPP, causing a fire. They were informed that a UAV had struck the NSC roof.
— IAEA – International Atomic Energy Agency ⚛️ (@iaeaorg)
Zelensky said in his social network publication that Night Drone attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure meant that Putin “is definitely not being prepared for negotiations – he is preparing to continue to deceive the world.”
In all, on Thursday night, the Ukrainian military reported that Russia launched 133 drones in Ukraine, 73 of which were slaughtered and 58 of which did not reach the target. The numbers are widely aligned with the recent average of drone attacks. The military said drones were slaughtered in 11 regions, covering much of the country.
