A Russian drone has struck the protective structure at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, which shields the radioactive remnants of the 1986 disaster. The attack, captured in footage released
by the Ukrainian president’s office, shows the moment of impact, causing significant damage to the site.
Officials report that the strike was carried out using a long-range drone equipped with an explosive payload. Despite the structural damage, Ukrainian authorities confirmed that radiation levels around the facility remain unchanged.
President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the attack, accusing Russia of targeting critical infrastructure and escalating its military aggression. He argued that such actions demonstrate President Vladimir Putin’s lack of interest in peace negotiations.
Threat to a historical nuclear disaster site
The targeted structure is a massive steel dome designed to contain the remnants of the fourth reactor, which exploded in 1986, releasing radioactive material across Europe. The dome covers an older concrete sarcophagus that entombs over 200 tons of solidified radioactive lava, nuclear fuel, and contaminated debris.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed that the drone struck the sarcophagus but reassured that radiation levels inside and outside the site remain stable. No casualties have been reported.
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi expressed concern over the strike, warning that ongoing military activity near Ukraine’s nuclear sites—including the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant—poses severe security risks.
A history of nuclear catastrophe
The Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, the site of one of the worst nuclear disasters in history, ceased operations in 2000. Its damaged reactor has since been enclosed under protective structures, including the original sarcophagus and the more recent "Arch." These barriers were designed to prevent the spread of radiation, but the latest attack raises new fears about the plant’s security amid the ongoing war. Photo by Tim Porter, Wikimedia commons.