Drone attack on Chornobyl NPP could have resulted in radiation disaster
Photo: A Russian drone attack could have caused a radiation accident at the Chornobyl nuclear power plant (Getty Images)
A drone attack on the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant could have resulted in a radiation disaster. The drone would have had to strike just 15 meters to the side for the disaster to unfold, said Hryhorii Ishchenko, the head of the State Agency for the Management of the Exclusion Zone.
"The consequences could have been catastrophic. If the drone had hit just 15 meters off, over the old shelter, there would have been a radiation accident," he stated.
Ishchenko reassured that the situation is now under control, with the fire being extinguished.
"We are fully monitoring the situation, including under the shelter’s arch and surrounding areas. Our units are ensuring radiation safety. A headquarters was set up at 4 a.m., and we have a response plan in place, with all relevant services involved," he added.
He emphasized that no casualties occurred as a result of the drone attack, and there has been no radiation leak.
Russian attack on Chornobyl Nuclear Plant
On February 14, Russia launched an attack on the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant (ChNPP) using a strike drone. The drone was equipped with a fragmentation warhead.
The Ministry of Energy immediately confirmed that the consequences of breaching the sarcophagus at ChNPP would depend on the force of the strike and explosion.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy shared that the Russian drone flew at an altitude of 85 meters and was not detected by radar.
Later, the Security Service of Ukraine revealed the wreckage of the drone that attacked ChNPP on February 14. The Russian army used a Shahed-type drone for the attack.
