Strikes across Ukraine, Russian-occupied territory, and Russia killed at least 16 people on Sunday, as the 40th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster prompted fresh warnings about the risks posed by attacks near the plant. According to multiple reports, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky marked the anniversary by warning that Russian attacks risk repeating history.
Key Takeaways
Strikes across Ukraine, Russian-occupied territory, and Russia killed at least 16 people on the 40th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that Russian attacks risk repeating history by threatening the Chernobyl plant.
- Strikes kill at least 16 across Ukraine, Russian-occupied territory, and Russia
- Zelensky warns of nuclear risks from attacks near Chernobyl plant
- IAEA urges immediate repairs to damaged protective shell at Chernobyl
- Ukrainian forces strike oil refinery deep inside Russian territory
- Russia and North Korea agree to long-term military cooperation
Zelensky wrote on Facebook that "Russia is once again bringing the world to the brink of a man-made disaster," referring to regular drone flights over the Chernobyl plant and a strike last year. He called for international pressure to force Russia to stop its attacks, as reported by CBS News and PBS.
The death toll from Russian drone and missile strikes on the city of Dnipro rose to nine, regional head Oleksandr Hanzha said Sunday. One man was killed in a Ukrainian drone strike on Sevastopol in Russian-occupied Crimea, Moscow-installed authorities reported. Leonid Pasechnik, the Russia-installed governor in Ukraine's Luhansk region, stated that three people were killed in an overnight Ukrainian drone strike on a village.
Ukrainian forces also struck an oil refinery in Yaroslavl, deep inside Russian territory, sparking fires at the facility. The refinery processes 15 million tons of oil annually and produces fuel for the Russian military, as noted by Los Angeles Times. Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), echoed Zelensky's concerns during a visit to Kyiv, emphasizing the need for immediate repairs to the plant's damaged outer protective shell.
Meanwhile, Russia's Defense Minister Andrei Belousov visited North Korea for talks with leader Kim Jong Un about future military cooperation. The countries agreed to transition their military cooperation to a sustainable, long-term basis, according to Russia state news agency Ria Novosti. North Korea has sent thousands of troops and large weapons shipments to support Russia's war against Ukraine.
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