Ukrainian President Zelensky stated that a Russian drone attacked the Chernobyl nuclear plant in the early hours of Friday, February 14, causing a brief fire. However, Russia has denied responsibility for this incident.
Zelensky mentioned that the attack hit the concrete shelter of the nuclear plant, triggering a fire that was later extinguished.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported that the radiation levels at the Ukrainian nuclear plant, which had already been shut down, did not increase after the drone attack. The agency also stated that the attack did not damage the plant’s internal containment structure.
Ukraine’s State Emergency Service also confirmed that the radiation levels in the area remained within normal limits.
IAEA did not attribute responsibility for the incident to anyone, but mentioned that the team present at the site heard an explosion before 2 am on Friday local time (7 pm Thursday Eastern Time) and were informed that a drone had hit the facility.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated on Friday that Moscow was not behind the attack.
“There are no claims about strikes on nuclear infrastructure and nuclear facilities. Any such claims are not true, our military would not do that,” Peskov said.
“This is likely another provocation,” Peskov continued, “this is something the Kiev regime excels at and sometimes does without hesitation.”
During the three-year Russia-Ukraine war, battles around nuclear plants have repeatedly raised concerns about nuclear disasters. Many still vividly remember the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in 1986, which resulted in at least 30 deaths and the spread of radioactive materials to parts of the Soviet Union and Europe.
Ukrainian and IAEA officials have repeatedly accused Russia of risking major nuclear incidents during the conflict. In early 2022, during intense fighting near the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi stated that every principle of nuclear safety was “violated.”