Russian drone damages spent fuel storage near Chernobyl
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- Russian drone struck a spent nuclear fuel storage facility about 15 km from the Chernobyl plant, damaging a fuel‑reception building.
- Zelenskyy called the attack "extremely vile" and warned it showed increased Russian brazenness.
- International Atomic Energy Agency inspected the site and confirmed radiation levels remained at normal background levels.
- Energoatom reported that no spent fuel was present in the building, the fire was extinguished, and no injuries occurred.
- Russia has not issued any public comment on the alleged strike.
- Shahed drone previously damaged a containment arch over the Chernobyl reactor in February 2025.
- Kyiv and Moscow have exchanged accusations over attacks on the Russian‑occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.
Why it matters: The strike demonstrates Russia’s heightened brazenness in targeting nuclear infrastructure, raising security concerns for Ukraine’s civilian population and nuclear operators, while the IAEA’s confirmation of normal radiation levels means immediate health risk is avoided but the incident underscores the vulnerability of critical sites.
