ALBAWABA - The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has reported an explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear site. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky immediately blamed Russia, claiming the blast resulted from a Russian drone strike.
According to the IAEA, an explosion was heard overnight within the New Safe Confinement structure, which protects the remains of Reactor No. 4 at the former Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine. The blast triggered a fire, but emergency crews responded within minutes, and no casualties were reported.
The agency confirmed that radiation levels both inside and outside the site remain normal and stable, assuring that it continues to monitor the situation closely.
Zelensky stated on Friday that a Russian drone carrying a high-explosive warhead struck the containment facility designed to shield the world from radiation leaks from the destroyed reactor. However, he emphasized that radiation levels had not increased.
In a broader escalation, the Ukrainian military reported that Russia launched 133 drones overnight, with Ukrainian forces successfully intercepting 73 of them. Another 58 drones failed to reach their intended targets due to electronic countermeasures.
Meanwhile, in retaliation, a Ukrainian drone attack on Russia’s Belgorod region resulted in the death of one civilian. Belgorod Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov reported that a drone dropped an explosive device on a residential home, causing fatal injuries. Dozens of houses and vehicles in two villages sustained damage from Ukrainian drone strikes.
Russia's Defense Ministry announced that it had downed a total of 50 Ukrainian drones over various regions, including 41 drones intercepted over Belgorod.
