Russian drone hit Chernobyl reactor shell, says Volodymyr Zelensky

A glow seen after an UAV struck the protective dome. Pic/AFP

A Russian drone with a high-explosive warhead hit the protective containment shell of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in the Kyiv region during the night, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday, adding that radiation levels have not increased.

Zelensky said that the strike damaged the structure and started a fire, which has been put out. The UN atomic agency did not attribute blame, saying only its team stationed at the site heard an explosion and were informed that a drone had struck the shell.

Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Friday denied Ukrainian claims. "There is no talk about striking on nuclear infrastructure, nuclear energy facilities, any such claim isn't true, our military doesn't do that," Peskov said.

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