shahed drone – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said a Russian “shahed” drone hit a Centralized Spent Fuel Storage Facility building near the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, damaging the fuel reception building while Ukrainian officials said radiation levels remained w
For Zelenskyy, it was the kind of strike that is meant to unsettle more than it destroys. On Sunday, he said Russian forces attacked the area around the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, and that 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. He added that Russia “deliberately struck this particular nuclear infrastructure facility.”
The International Atomic Energy Agency said the attack caused “significant damage” to the facility’s fuel reception building, including the facade, windows and doors. The blast wave also affected nearby buildings, the IAEA said.
Rafael Mariano Grossi, the IAEA’s director general, described the incident as “deeply concerning,” pointing to the large amounts of nuclear material kept in storage near the attacked building.
Ukrainian officials pushed back on the immediate radiation fear. Energoatom. Ukraine’s atomic agency. said the radiation situation at the Central Nuclear Fuel Storage Facility site remains within normal limits. The agency also said a fire broke out, reaching 430 square feet, and that it was quickly put out. Energoatom said no spent nuclear fuel was stored in the facility. “As of now. there are no readings exceeding normal background radiation levels. ” Zelenskyy said. while also accusing Russia of a calculated escalation in what he called its “brazenness.”.
The drone strike landed in the middle of a broader, fast-moving day of warfare reporting from Ukraine. Zelenskyy said overnight there were Russian strikes on other civilian facilities in 13 Ukrainian regions. He also put a sharp number on the intensity of the week: Russia launched 88 missiles. more than 3. 250 attack drones. and around 1. 800 guided aerial bombs against Ukraine.
In a separate strike in Balabyne. a settlement in Zaporizhzhia. three people died. according to Ivan Fedorov. head of the Zaporizhzhia Regional Military Administration. Another account of the damage came from the Kyiv Post. which said high-explosive munitions left local streets littered with shattered glass. shrapnel and pulverized debris. with most of the impact on a local public transportation hub.
That nuclear-area attack also unfolded as Zelenskyy sought fresh diplomatic and military support in Europe. During talks in England with United Kingdom Minister Keir Starmer. French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Zelenskyy said it was “important to discuss everything and agree on the key points at the leaders’ level.” He said the main focus should be defense in the war. more cooperation for Europe’s security in the direction of air defense. and a shared view on diplomatic prospects. adding that Europe must be “in the negotiations and must be strong.”.
Zelenskyy is scheduled to meet with King Charles III on Monday. Before that, he renewed a call for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Putin said he saw “no point” in a face-to-face meeting.
The sequence of events is hard to ignore: a strike around Chernobyl aimed at a facility storing nuclear material. the IAEA describing significant damage. and Ukraine reporting normal radiation readings—while the broader campaign continues at a scale Zelenskyy says requires increased pressure on Russia.
Chernobyl Centralized Spent Fuel Storage Facility shahed drone International Atomic Energy Agency Rafael Mariano Grossi Volodymyr Zelenskyy Energoatom air defense Keir Starmer Emmanuel Macron Friedrich Merz King Charles III Vladimir Putin
So it hit Chernobyl… like again??
I don’t get how they keep saying “no radiation” when it’s still a nuclear site getting hit. Sounds like PR to me. If a drone can damage a building near it, why wouldn’t it matter?
Wait… if no spent fuel was stored there then what exactly was damaged? Like was it just the empty building or the “reception” part? Either way it’s messed up but the details are weird.
They say it’s “within normal limits” but the whole point is Russia wanted to scare people, so of course they’ll downplay it. Also Zelenskyy always says vile stuff, so who knows what’s true. I just feel like this is how things turn into bigger disasters, no matter the background radiation.