Ukraine outraged by strike but Russia says Kyiv staged it as a ‘provocation’
PUBLISHED : 14 Feb 2025 at 21: 45
A man with a child walks by a Chernobyl memorial in Kyiv after the nuclear facility was struck by a Russian drone on Friday. (Photo: AFP)
KYIV – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Friday that a Russian drone had struck a cover built to contain radiation at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, adding that radiation levels were normal.
Ukraine has repeatedly warned since Russia invaded that attacks and fighting near its vast nuclear power plants risk triggering a potential catastrophe.
The Kremlin rejected that its military targets Ukrainian nuclear sites, while the European Union said the attack was “reckless” and showed Russia was “not looking for peace”.
The strike comes with US President Donald Trump, who held calls with both Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier this week, pushing Kyiv and Moscow to urgently agree an end to the war.
“Last night, a Russian attack drone with a high-explosive warhead struck the cover protecting the world from radiation at the destroyed 4th power unit of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant,” Zelensky said in a social media post.
He said it was evidence that “Putin is definitely not preparing for negotiations — he is preparing to continue deceiving the world”.
CCTV footage posted by the Ukrainian leader showed a blast on the side of the Chernobyl structure, timestamped 2: 02am local time.
The Kremlin called the incident a “provocation” staged by Kyiv.
Kremlin denial
“There is no question of any stri
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