UNDP Chief: Chornobyl Drone Strikes Risk Millions — SkimNews
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- Alexander De Croo visited the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant and saw damage from a recent drone strike on the protective structure over Reactor Four, calling it an unacceptable risk to millions.
- UNDP is supporting Ukraine’s energy recovery with $1.3 billion mobilized over four years, restoring infrastructure despite ongoing Russian attacks on critical systems.
- Chornobyl site personnel told De Croo that Russian drones fly over the facility daily, raising concerns about accidental or deliberate breaches of nuclear safety zones.
- A new solar power plant at Chornobyl, backed by Lithuania, Japan, and UNDP, began operating to power Reactor Four’s cooling systems, part of Ukraine’s shift to decentralized energy.
- De Croo emphasized that rebuilding energy infrastructure cannot wait for the war’s end, as half the country’s energy systems have been damaged and winter looms.
Why it matters: With half of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure damaged and drone flights over Chornobyl continuing, the immediate risk of a nuclear incident grows. The $1.3 billion in UNDP support helps sustain critical services, but ongoing attacks make long-term stability harder to achieve, raising stakes for civilian safety and international accountability.
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