Strikes across Ukraine, Russian-occupied territory, and Russia over the past day killed at least 16 people, authorities said Sunday as the 40th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster prompted renewed warnings about the risks posed by attacks near the plant during Russia's more than four-year invasion of its neighbor.
Zelensky Warns of Nuclear Terrorism
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky marked the anniversary with a stark warning that Russian attacks risk repeating history. "Russia is once again bringing the world to the brink of a man-made disaster. Russian-Iranian Shaheds regularly fly over the plant, and one of them struck the confinement last year," he wrote on Facebook, referring to the Iran-designed drones that have wreaked havoc since Moscow launched its all-out war in February 2022. "The world must not allow this nuclear terrorism to continue, and the best way is to force Russia to stop its reckless attacks," Zelensky said.
Deadly Strikes Across Regions
Russian drone and missile strikes on the city of Dnipro killed at least nine people, regional head Oleksandr Hanzha said Sunday. In Russian-occupied Crimea, Moscow-installed authorities reported that one man was killed in a Ukrainian drone strike on the port city of Sevastopol. Russia annexed the peninsula from Ukraine in 2014, a move widely considered illegal, and has used it as a staging and supply point during the war.
Leonid Pasechnik, the Russia-installed governor in Ukraine's Luhansk region, said three people were killed in an overnight Ukrainian drone strike on a village, after reporting two deaths early Saturday. Ukraine did not comment on either attack, which could not be independently verified by The Associated Press. Earlier, a woman was killed in a Ukrainian drone attack on Russia's Belgorod border region, according to local authorities.
Ukrainian forces also struck an oil refinery in Yaroslavl, deep inside Russian territory, Ukraine's General Staff said Sunday. The strikes sparked fires at the facility, which processes 15 million tons of oil annually and produces gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel for the Russian military. Russia did not immediately comment. Ukraine has developed its own long-range drones, capable of reaching targets some 1,500 kilometers inside Russia, and has used them recently against Russian oil facilities as Moscow seeks to boost exports after the Trump administration granted a temporary sanctions waiver to ease supply constraints. Kyiv officials complain that Russia will use the additional revenue on new weapons to hit Ukraine harder.
Concerns for Chernobyl on a Grim Anniversary
Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, echoed Zelensky's concerns over Chernobyl during a visit to Kyiv, stating that repairs to the plant's damaged outer protective shell must begin immediately. IAEA assessments show the damage sustained after a strike last year has already compromised a key safety function of the structure, he warned, cautioning that years of inaction could heighten danger to the original sarcophagus beneath it. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development said repairs would require at least 500 million euros ($586 million). Energy Minister Denys Smyhal said Sunday that partner commitments to fund repairs totaled 100 million euros ($108 million), in addition to a previously agreed 30 million euros ($32 million). Ukrainian officials say a Russian drone struck the outer shell of the plant's New Safe Confinement structure in February 2025. Moscow denied targeting the plant, alleging Kyiv staged the attack.
Russia Honors North Korean Allies
Russia's Defense Minister Andrei Belousov visited North Korea on Sunday for talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un about future military cooperation between the countries. Belousov said they agreed to "transition military cooperation to a sustainable, long-term basis," according to Russian state news agency Ria Novosti. During the visit, he presented the Russian Order of Courage to Korean service members who served in Russia's Kursk region, where Ukraine launched a surprise incursion in August 2024. Kim has sent thousands of troops and large weapons shipments to support Russia's war against Ukraine.
