Necva Taştan Sevinç
14 February 2025•Update: 14 February 2025
ISTANBUL
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas on Friday called the alleged Russian attacks on the Chernobyl nuclear site "unacceptable" and "reckless.”
“Such attacks on civilian nuclear sites are unacceptable. It shows once again that Russia is not looking for peace," she posted on X.
Her remarks came after the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported that a drone had struck the roof of a structure installed to confine the remains of the nuclear reactor that was destroyed in the 1986 Chernobyl disaster.
“A Russian attack drone with a high-explosive warhead struck the shelter protecting the world from radiation,” Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy claimed on X.
However, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed it as baseless, claiming that Ukraine staged the incident to coincide with the Munich Security Conference in Germany, where global leaders will discuss security concerns, including the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
The attack, which occurred early Friday morning, caused a fire, according to the IAEA.
Despite some damage, Ukrainian authorities informed IAEA inspectors that the attack did not breach the inner part of the structure.
“Radiation levels inside and outside remain normal and stable,” reported the IAEA, adding that the agency will continue to monitor the situation.
IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi warned that the incident, along with a recent uptick in military activity near the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, highlights ongoing nuclear safety risks.
"There is no room for complacency, and the IAEA remains on high alert," he said.
