Russian drone hits Chernobyl fuel storage no radiation rise

A Russian drone struck a facility for storing spent nuclear fuel near the decommissioned Chornobyl power plant early Sunday, Ukrainian officials reported, in an incident international monitors described as deeply concerning. No spike in radiation was detected.

According to Ukraine’s General Staff and state nuclear operator Energoatom, a Shahed-type drone hit the Centralized Spent Nuclear Fuel Storage Facility within the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone at approximately 2:10 a.m. local time. The strike partially destroyed a container reception building. A resulting fire covering 40 square meters was extinguished within an hour, and no injuries were reported. Officials stated that no spent nuclear fuel was being stored inside the specific building that was struck at the time of the attack.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed it had been informed of the incident. The UN nuclear watchdog said the attack caused significant damage to the fuel reception building’s facade, windows, and doors, with nearby structures also affected by the blast wave. The agency stated that radiation levels at the facility remained within established limits. IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi...