At least 16 people were killed over the weekend in a renewed exchange of strikes between Russia and Ukraine, as the 40th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster brought fresh warnings about the dangers of attacks near the plant. The violence underscores the persistent threat to civilian infrastructure and nuclear safety during Moscow's more than four-year full-scale invasion.
Ukrainian authorities reported that Russian drone and missile strikes on the central city of Dnipro killed at least nine people on Sunday, according to regional governor Oleksandr Hanzha. In Russia, officials said a Ukrainian drone attack on the port city of Sevastopol in occupied Crimea killed one man. Earlier, a woman was killed in a Ukrainian drone strike on Russia's Belgorod border region, local authorities confirmed.
Leonid Pasechnik, the Russian-appointed governor of Ukraine's Luhansk region, reported three deaths from an overnight Ukrainian drone strike on a village. Ukraine did not comment on these attacks, and responsibility for some incidents remained unclear.
Ukraine's General Staff stated on Sunday that its forces had struck an oil refinery in Yaroslavl, deep inside Russian territory. The facility, which processes 15 million tons of oil annually and supplies gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel to the Russian military, caught fire. Russia did not immediately respond to the claim.
Chernobyl Warnings Intensify
The latest strikes coincided with the 40th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster, a date that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy used to accuse Russia of nuclear terrorism. “Russia is once again bringing the world to the brink of a man-made disaster,” he wrote on Facebook, noting that Iranian-designed Shahed drones regularly fly over the plant. One such drone struck the outer containment shell in February 2025, he said. “The world must not allow this nuclear terrorism to continue, and the best way is to force Russia to stop its reckless attacks.”
Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), echoed Zelenskyy's concerns during a visit to Kyiv on Sunday. Grossi said repairs to the damaged protective shell must begin immediately, warning that years of inaction could compromise the structure's safety functions and endanger the original sarcophagus beneath it. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development estimates the repairs will cost at least €500 million.
Ukraine's Energy Minister Denys Smyhal announced on Sunday that partner commitments for the repairs total €100 million, in addition to a previously agreed €30 million. The New Safe Confinement structure, a €1.79 billion arch installed in 2019 over the remnants of reactor No. 4, was struck by a Russian drone in February 2025, according to Ukrainian officials.
The weekend's violence also drew attention to broader regional security concerns. Drone debris has previously hit Romanian territory as strikes on Ukraine escalate, highlighting the spillover risks for neighbouring EU and NATO member states. Meanwhile, Zelenskyy's accusations of nuclear terrorism have been a recurring theme in his appeals for international support.
The attacks come amid a broader pattern of escalating violence. Recent Russian barrages have killed dozens across Ukraine, while Ukrainian forces continue to target Russian military infrastructure deep inside the country. The human toll remains high, with civilian casualties mounting on both sides.
As the anniversary of the world's worst nuclear disaster passes, the IAEA's Grossi stressed that the Chernobyl site remains a symbol of the catastrophic consequences of conflict near nuclear facilities. “The damage is already compromising safety,” he said, urging immediate international action to prevent a repeat of history.
