A Russian drone has landed and damaged the protective shield of Chernobyl, President Zelensky informs.
It caught on fire, but was immediately extinguished, with no casualties.
Despite the fact that radiation levels are stable and normal, the head engineer has admitted that there is a possibility of radioactive leakage exists.
However “the situation is under control”.
In turn, Russia responded that its military does not strike Ukrainian nuclear infrastructure and “any claims that this was the case do not correspond to reality”, reports the BBC.
But Zelensky posted footage on X with an image of the concrete and steel shield, which covers the remains of the reactor that lost its roof in the explosion.
“Another 15 metres to the side and there would have been a radiation accident,” Hryhoriy Ishchenko, manager of Chernobyl’s exclusion area, commented.
However, UK expert on the Chernobyl disaster Prof Jim Smith has said that he is not currently concerned about potential risk, since the thick concrete “sarcophagus” under the shield remains untouched.
He mused that he’s more concerned about the Zaporizhzhia plant, which has been repeatedly toyed with in this war, than about Chernobyl.
Others have pointed out that the protective structures are not built to withstand attack, although over forty countries contributed to its construction.
Playing with fire doesn’t bode well, and shows both that peace talks are not imminent, and that they are imperative.
