Fears are escalating over the possibility of another significant nuclear disaster amidst reports of Russia conducting military operations near the decommissioned Chernobyl power plant. The world is gearing up to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the worst nuclear catastrophe on Sunday, April 26, which occurred in what was then Soviet-controlled Ukraine. General Ruslan Kravchenko, Ukraine’s top state prosecutor, has accused Russia of engaging in risky military activities near Ukrainian nuclear facilities with intentions of intimidation and terror.
General Kravchenko cautioned that Russian hypersonic Kinzhal missiles have been observed flying near the Chernobyl site in northern Ukraine and the Khmelnytskyi nuclear power plant in western Ukraine ever since Moscow’s full-scale invasion of the country in 2022. He disclosed that 35 Kinzhals were detected passing within approximately 12 miles of the Chernobyl facility or the Khmelnytskyi plant, with 18 of them flying near both locations during a single mission.
According to Gen Kravchenko, the missile launches over the nuclear facilities appear to serve no military purpose but are evidently meant for intimidation and terror. In a separate incident last year, an object believed to be a Russian attack drone struck the Chernobyl site, breaching the radiation containment shield installed to prevent leaks from Reactor No. 4, which exploded in 1986. Russia denied involvement, alleging that Ukraine staged the attack as a provocation.
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development estimates that repairs to the damaged radiation shield could cost at least €500 million (£434 million). Ukrainian authorities suspect the drone strike on the Chernobyl facility was deliberate, suggesting that Russia may have used the site as a flight path to evade air defenses near populated areas.
Gen Kravchenko reported three instances where Kinzhal missiles, capable of carrying up to 1100-pound warheads, crashed during flight, landing within about six miles of the Khmelnytskyi plant. The prosecutor expressed concern over the irresponsible actions of flying drones with powerful warheads over nuclear facilities, emphasizing the disregard for the safety of civilians not only in Ukraine but also across Europe.
Since July 2024, when Russia intensified drone attacks on Ukraine, radar systems have detected at least 92 Russian drones flying within a three-mile radius of the Chernobyl radiation shield. The actual number of drone fly-bys could be higher, as radar tracks sometimes represent multiple drones or may miss some entirely, noted Gen Kravchenko.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) regularly monitors military activities near nuclear power plants and attacks on critical electrical substations that impact nuclear safety. The IAEA Director General has voiced deep concerns about the risks posed by such military activities on nuclear safety and security, urging maximum restraint near nuclear facilities to prevent potential nuclear accidents.
The Chernobyl disaster had far-reaching consequences, affecting over 3.5 million people and contaminating nearly 50,000 square kilometers of land, as per UN reports.
