The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported that an explosion occurred last night, causing a fire within the new safety dome that protects the remains of Reactor No. 4 at the Chernobyl nuclear plant. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of launching a drone attack, but Moscow has denied the allegations.
The IAEA stated that a fire protection team responded quickly to the incident and no casualties were reported. “Radiation levels inside and outside the area remain normal and stable. The IAEA continues to monitor the situation,” the agency added in a statement.
Zelensky claimed that the explosion caused significant damage to the protective dome surrounding the reactor destroyed in the 1986 catastrophe.
However, the Kremlin dismissed the accusation as a “provocation.” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that Russia does not target nuclear infrastructure, although he noted that there was no detailed information about the alleged incident.
Chernobyl was the site of the worst nuclear disaster in history in 1986 when Reactor No. 4 exploded. The nuclear plant was closed on December 15, 2000.
