Chornobyl Nuclear Infrastructure Targeted in Recent Russian Drone Attack; Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Condemns Strike
A Russian drone strike damaged a spent nuclear fuel storage facility near Chornobyl early Sunday. No injuries were reported, and radiation levels remain normal. President Zelenskyy condemned the "vile" attack, which occurred amidst intensifying long-range drone exchanges. International nuclear inspectors are preparing to visit the site to evaluate the structural damage to the critical facility.
A Russian Shahed drone struck a building at a spent nuclear fuel storage facility near the disused Chornobyl nuclear power plant in the early hours of Sunday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the strike as a deliberate and "extremely vile" attack on critical infrastructure. While the building sustained significant damage, authorities confirmed that no personnel were injured and radiation levels remain within normal safety limits.
The targeted facility, located approximately 9 miles from the site of the 1986 nuclear disaster, is designed for the long-term storage of spent fuel from Ukraine’s operational power plants. Although the storage containers were empty at the time of the 2am strike, the incident has drawn immediate international attention regarding the escalating risks to nuclear safety protocols during the ongoing conflict. 'I Still See No Reason': Vladimir Putin Rejects Zelensky's Proposal for Face-to-Face Meeting to End Ukraine War.
Russia Drone Attack on Chornobyl Draws International and National Response
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha described the incident as part of a systemic pattern of Russian nuclear blackmail, characterising the targeting of such sensitive sites as unacceptable. The International Atomic Energy Agency has confirmed that its experts are preparing to visit the facility to conduct a thorough assessment, though it noted that current radiation levels have not been compromised.
President Zelenskyy, who is scheduled to meet with European leaders including Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron in London this Sunday, used the incident to highlight what he termed the "sky-high arrogance" of the Kremlin. Russia has not issued an official comment on the strike, though the Kremlin recently threatened to escalate systematic attacks against Ukrainian decision-making centres.
The incident follows a period of intensified long-range aerial operations on both sides. On Saturday, a significant Ukrainian drone strike targeted the historic naval town of Kronstadt near St Petersburg, coinciding with the conclusion of a major economic forum. Russia’s defence ministry claimed to have intercepted 500 Ukrainian drones within the past 24 hours. BRICS Overtakes G7 in Economic Power, Says Vladmir Putin at SPIEF 2026; Praises India as Key Global Partner.
This is not the first instance of damage to the Chornobyl area; in February 2025, a similar drone strike affected the containment arch over the original reactor. Both Kyiv and Moscow continue to trade allegations regarding the safety of nuclear infrastructure, including the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia plant. Energy operator Energoatom reiterated that such strikes remain a direct threat to international nuclear safety.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 07, 2026 06:32 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
