The Presidential Office and the National Security and Defense Council have released information regarding the aftermath of a Russian drone strike on the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant (NPP). The attack resulted in a fire and significant damage to the protective shelter. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has confirmed an explosion occurred above the sarcophagus of reactor No. 4, but radiation levels remain stable.
Andriy Yermak, head of the Presidential Office, expressed concerns, highlighting the global threat posed by Russia. He stressed that the military action was a deliberate attempt to target the Chornobyl NPP during the night. Andriy Kovalenko, head of the Center for Countering Disinformation, also noted that while the situation remains stable, the Russian drone strikes appear to be part of ongoing attempts to test the height and impact on the structure, further demonstrating the nuclear threat posed to the world.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that the fire from the drone strike was extinguished and that there was no change in radiation levels, though significant damage to the shelter had occurred. The IAEA confirmed the explosion around 1:50 AM on February 14, with the blast originating from the New Safe Confinement, a structure designed to enclose the remains of reactor No. 4, where the drone had crashed.