Russia and Ukraine engaged in deadly cross-border strikes over the weekend, claiming at least 16 lives. The intensified attacks coincide with the 40th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, amplifying fears about the safety risks posed by fighting near the plant during Moscow's ongoing invasion.
Regional officials reported that Russian drone and missile assaults on Dnipro killed at least nine people. In Russia-occupied Crimea, officials stated a Ukrainian drone strike on the port city of Sevastopol resulted in one fatality. Further north, in the Luhansk region, three people were reportedly killed in an overnight Ukrainian drone strike on a village. Ukraine has not commented on these specific incidents.
Earlier, a woman died in Belgorod, Russia, following a Ukrainian drone attack. Meanwhile, Ukraine's General Staff announced successful strikes on an oil refinery in Yaroslavl, deep within Russian territory, causing fires at the facility that supplies fuel for the Russian military.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy issued a stark warning on the Chernobyl anniversary, stating that Russian attacks threaten to repeat history. He highlighted the regular presence of Russian-Iranian Shahed drones over the plant, with one striking its containment structure last year. Zelenskyy urged the international community to halt this "nuclear terrorism" by compelling Russia to cease its "reckless attacks."
Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, echoed these concerns during a visit to Kyiv. He stressed the urgent need for repairs to the plant's damaged outer shell, warning that continued inaction could endanger the original sarcophagus. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development estimates repair costs at over €500 million, with partner commitments totaling €100 million so far, in addition to a €30 million agreement.