Chornobyl Nuclear Plant shelter damaged in Russian drone strike

A Russian attack drone struck the protective shelter of the destroyed 4th power unit at the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant, President Volodymyr Zelensky reported on Feb. 14.

"This is a terrorist threat to the entire world," Zelensky said.

The strike damaged the shelter, but the fire was extinguished and radiation levels remained stable, according to the president. Monitoring efforts continue to assess any potential risks.

Chornobyl, the site of the world's worst nuclear disaster, remains a highly sensitive location. The explosion of the plant's reactor on Apr. 26, 1986, contaminated a vast area spanning Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia.

Zelensky said the attack underscores Russia's continued disregard for global security.

"Russia continues to expand its army and shows no change in its deranged, anti-human state rhetoric. This means that Putin is definitely not preparing for negotiations — he is preparing to continue deceiving the world," he said.

The Chornobyl plant, located about 130 kilometers north of Kyiv, was briefly occupied by Russian forces in the early days of the full-scale invasion before they withdrew in March 2022.