Amid promises to engage in discussions to end the war in Ukraine, Russian forces have launched a missile attack on the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. The attack has caused severe damage to the plant’s radiation protection structure, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday (February 14), according to British news agency Reuters.
Zelensky stated that the attack led to a fire in the protective structure of the power plant, though it was later brought under control.
The Chernobyl disaster was one of the most catastrophic nuclear accidents in history. In 1986, a reactor at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, then part of the Soviet Union, exploded. The explosion killed 31 people and exposed at least 350,000 people to radiation. Currently, the site is part of Ukraine. After the disaster, a special protective structure was built to contain radiation.
Zelensky confirmed that initial assessments indicate significant damage to the protective structure. However, radiation levels have not increased, and the site is being closely monitored.
Harshly criticizing Russia, Zelensky stated that Russia is the only country that attacks nuclear facilities, seizes nuclear power plants, and continues war without considering the consequences.
