Incident summary
Ukrainian authorities reported that a Russian drone struck a container-receiving building at a spent-fuel storage site located about 15 kilometers from the Chornobyl nuclear power plant. The strike caused partial damage to the building and started a fire that was later extinguished, officials said. Authorities added that no spent nuclear fuel was being stored in that building at the time of the impact and that no injuries were reported.
Radiation and immediate aftermath
State nuclear officials and the General Staff said radiation levels at the site remained within normal ranges following the attack. While a fire did break out after the strike, Ukrainian authorities reported that it was subsequently put out and that there were no reported casualties linked to the incident.
Official statements and reactions
Russia has not publicly commented on the reported attack. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha condemned the strike in a post on X, stating: "This is not the first time Russian forces are putting Ukrainian nuclear facilities at risk." He added that what he described as Russia’s "nuclear blackmail" and threats to nuclear safety were systematic and unacceptable.
Context within the conflict
The reported strike comes more than a year after Ukraine accused Russia of damaging the containment arch that covers the reactor destroyed in the 1986 Chornobyl disaster; Moscow denied responsibility for that earlier attack. Officials have repeatedly flagged nuclear facilities as sources of concern during the conflict, with Kyiv and Moscow trading accusations over endangering operations at the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, Europe’s largest nuclear facility.
Facilities and the exclusion zone
Although the Chornobyl plant is no longer operational, the surrounding exclusion zone continues to contain nuclear waste management and spent fuel storage facilities. The container-receiving building that was struck is used for handling spent nuclear fuel, according to Ukrainian authorities, but was not holding spent fuel at the time of the strike.
Implications noted by authorities
Ukrainian officials highlighted the incident as another instance in which nuclear-related infrastructure has been placed at risk amid ongoing hostilities. The strike adds to broader concerns about the vulnerability of nuclear facilities and related storage sites while fighting continues.
Note: This report reflects statements released by Ukrainian authorities and available public comments; no independent confirmation from other parties has been reported.