Drone Incident Sparks Concerns Over Chornobyl Safety Amid Global Talks

A Russian drone caused considerable damage at Chornobyl's radiation containment shelter amidst international security talks. Despite safety concerns, radiation levels remain stable. The incident, seen as a tactic for media attention, highlights ongoing tensions in Ukraine amid efforts to secure Western support.

A significant incident unfolded at the dormant Chornobyl nuclear power plant overnight as a Russian drone caused considerable damage to its radiation containment shelter, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy announced. Despite the breach, radiation levels have been reported as stable, assuaging immediate safety concerns.

The event occurred in tandem with discussions at the Munich Security Conference, where officials from the U.S., Ukraine, and Europe gathered to deliberate on the conflict in Ukraine. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova accused President Zelenskiy of orchestrating the event to secure additional Western aid.

Technical assessments revealed damage to the barrier system designed to contain radioactivity, with the drone identified as a Geran-2, linked to the Shahed-136 model. The attack underscores ongoing tensions, with experts suggesting it was more about garnering headlines than causing mass destruction.

(With inputs from agencies.)