Russians hit sarcophagus over destroyed Chernobyl reactor: SBU showed shaheddin wreckage

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has said that the Russian drone that attacked the Chernobyl nuclear power plant was equipped with a high-explosive warhead to inflict maximum damage.

SBU officers identified the wreckage of the hull of the Russian kamikaze drone Geran-2 (Shahed type) with the warhead and serial number at the site of the attack. The investigation believes that the strike was deliberately aimed at the shelter of the destroyed Unit 4 of the ChNPP.

Radiation situation

According to the SBU, the radiation background on the territory of ChNPP and in the exclusion zone remains within permissible values. No leaks of radiation substances have been recorded. SBU investigators opened a criminal case over the drone strike, qualifying it as a war crime. Investigators together with specialised agencies are working on the site.

Reaction and statements

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky noted at the Munich Security Conference that the Russian drone was flying at an altitude of 85 metres, a level that makes it difficult for radar to detect. According to the president, the drone was equipped with a high-explosive warhead, which confirms the intention to inflict significant damage to the facility.

Damage and Ukraine's actions

The attack damaged the structure of the shelter over the destroyed Unit 4. Ukraine informed its international partners of the incident to draw attention to Russia's actions that threaten nuclear safety.

The attack was yet another example of targeted military action that poses a potential threat to the region's environmental and nuclear safety.