A Russian drone hit a nuclear storage facility near Chernobyl on Sunday, after Ukraine conducted strikes on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s hometown.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said a one-way Russian attack drone damaged the “centralized spent fuel storage facility” near Chernobyl, calling it “extremely critical infrastructure” in a social media post early Sunday.
Russia has not publicly acknowledged the strike.
Noting the 40th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster this year, Mr. Zelenskyy said Russian strikes in the area amounted to “nuclear terrorism” and attacks with one-way drones were “reckless.”
Mr. Zelenskyy said radiation readings after the strike did not exceed “normal background radiation levels.”
The International Atomic Energy Agency said in a statement that the strike did cause “significant damage” to the building. A team was dispatched to the site for investigation, according to the agency.
“Attacks on nuclear sites are completely unacceptable and in direct contravention of key nuclear safety principles,” the IAEA said.
Ukrainian Foreign Affairs Minister Andrii Sybiha wrote that Russia’s attacks near the plant were “systemic, deliberate and unacceptable.”
The Chernobyl strike came one day after Ukraine unleashed a barrage at the end of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. The forum hosted numerous Russian officials, including Mr. Putin.
Residents of St. Petersburg, Mr. Putin’s hometown, were told not to leave their dwellings on Saturday, as Ukraine attacked Russia’s second-largest city. Ukraine targeted oil terminals and naval bases along the coast of the Baltic Sea.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said its air defenses shot down 376 Ukrainian drones on Saturday.
Speaking at the forum earlier last week, Mr. Putin said Russia would strengthen its air defenses to counter Ukrainian drone attacks. Saturday’s attack was the second on St. Petersburg in a week, after an earlier attack that ignited a fire at an oil terminal.
The exchange of attacks comes after Mr. Putin rejected an offer by Mr. Zelenskyy for a ceasefire and peace talks that would include a face-to-face meeting.
Mr. Zelenskyy offered the ceasefire publicly, posting his letter to Russia online. The letter proposed possible direct negotiations hosted by third-party countries. He directly referenced the U.S. as a required “part of this process” and said the U.S. could “monitor a ceasefire along the line where hostilities stop.”
Speaking at the economic forum on Friday, Mr. Putin said he sees “no point” in entering the offered negotiations.
