Russian forces have struck a facility used for storing spent nuclear fuel near the decommissioned Chornobyl nuclear power plant, causing significant damage but no increase in radiation levels, Ukrainian officials said. Get today's headlines by email The attack occurred at around 2 a.m. local time on Sunday when a Russian Shahed drone hit the reception building of a spent fuel storage facility located roughly nine miles from the site of the 1986 Chornobyl disaster. The building was not housing fuel containers at the time of the strike. Zelenskyy Condemns StrikeUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the attack as deliberate and accused Moscow of targeting critical infrastructure. “As of now, there is no heightening of radiation safety limits. But there is clearly a heightening of Russia’s already sky-high arrogance,” Zelenskyy said. He called the incident an “extremely vile Russian attack.” The Ukrainian leader was scheduled to meet with Keir Starmer, Emmanuel Macron and Friedrich Merz in London on Sunday to discuss the ongoing war. No Radiation Increase DetectedA fire covering approximately 40 square metres broke out following the strike but was later extinguished. No injuries were reported. Ukraine’s state nuclear operator, Energoatom, said radiation levels remained within normal limits despite the damage. The International Atomic Energy Agency said its experts were preparing to inspect the site. The agency confirmed that although the facility suffered substantial damage, radiation readings remained within established safety limits. The storage facility is designed to hold spent nuclear fuel from Ukraine’s nuclear power plants for long-term storage. Ukraine Accuses Russia of Nuclear BlackmailUkrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said the strike reflected a broader pattern of Russian actions around nuclear sites. “This is not the first time Russian forces are putting Ukrainian nuclear facilities at risk,” he wrote on social media, describing Moscow’s actions as deliberate threats to nuclear safety. The latest incident follows a February 2025 drone strike that damaged the protective containment arch covering the reactor destroyed in the 1986 Chornobyl disaster. Russia denied responsibility for that attack. Energoatom said the latest strike demonstrated what it called the Kremlin’s willingness to endanger nuclear and radiation safety. Escalating Long-Range AttacksThe attack comes as both sides intensify long-range drone and missile operations. On Saturday, Ukrainian forces reportedly launched a strike against the naval town of Kronstadt near Saint Petersburg. Meanwhile, Russia’s Defence Ministry said its air defence systems had intercepted 500 Ukrainian drones over the previous 24 hours. The Kremlin has previously warned that it could expand attacks on key Ukrainian facilities, including what it describes as decision-making centres. Russia has not publicly commented on Sunday’s strike near Chornobyl. Ukraine and Russia have also repeatedly accused each other of endangering the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, Europe’s largest nuclear power station. Elsewhere in Ukraine, Russian attacks reportedly killed at least two people at a public transport stop in the Zaporizhzhia region, while a drone strike nearby killed a 56-year-old minibus driver. In the central city of Dnipro, regional authorities said a separate attack killed a 59-year-old man. Join the discussion? Already a member? Adapted by ASEAN Now. Source 8 June 2026
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