Strikes across Ukraine, Russian-occupied territory and Russia killed at least 16 people as the 40th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster prompted fresh warnings about risks posed by attacks near the plant during Russia's more than four-year invasion of its neighbor.
The death toll from Russian drone and missile strikes on the city of Dnipro rose to nine, regional head Oleksandr Hanzha said. One man was killed in a Ukrainian drone strike on the port city of Sevastopol in Russian-occupied Crimea, Moscow-installed authorities said. Russia annexed the peninsula from Ukraine in 2014, a move most of the world 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 — which Russia earlier this month said it had taken full control, a claim denied by Ukraine — said three people were killed in an overnight Ukrainian drone strike on a village. Earlier Saturday, two people were killed in another attack there. Ukraine did not comment on either strike.
Ukrainian forces also struck an oil refinery in Yaroslavl, deep inside Russian territory, Ukraine's General Staff said. The strikes sparked fires at the facility, which processes 15 million tons of oil per year and produces gasoline, diesel and jet fuel for the Russian military. Russia did not immediately comment.
Ukraine has developed long-range drones that can reach targets some 1,500 kilometers (900 miles) inside Russia. Kyiv officials have said they target Russian oil facilities as Moscow looks to boost exports after the Trump administration gave it a temporary waiver from sanctions to ease supply constraints. Ukrainian officials say this revenue funds weapons used against Ukraine.
What the Left Is Saying
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy marked the Chernobyl anniversary by warning that Russian attacks risk repeating history. 'Through its war, 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.
Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, echoed those concerns during a visit to Kyiv. He said repairs to the plant's damaged outer protective shell must begin immediately. IAEA assessments show damage sustained after a strike last year has already compromised a key safety function of the structure, and years of inaction could heighten danger to the original sarcophagus beneath it.
Ukrainian officials say a Russian drone struck the outer shell of the New Safe Confinement structure — a $2.1 billion archlike enclosure completed in 2019 over Reactor No. 4 — in February 2025. Ukraine's allies have called for accountability for attacks near nuclear facilities.
What the Right Is Saying
Russia denied targeting the Chernobyl plant, alleging Kyiv staged the attack that damaged the containment structure. Moscow has maintained it does not target nuclear infrastructure and blames Ukraine for escalations near radioactive sites.
Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov visited North Korea on Sunday for talks with leader Kim Jong Un about future military cooperation between the countries. 'We agreed to transition military cooperation to a sustainable, long-term basis,' Belousov said, according to RIA Novosti.
During the visit, Belousov 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.
What the Numbers Show
At least 16 people were killed across multiple strikes over the weekend: nine in Dnipro from Russian attacks, one in Sevastopol from Ukrainian drones, three in a Luhansk village from Ukrainian strikes, and at least two others reported earlier Saturday. A woman was also killed in a Ukrainian drone attack on Russia's Belgorod border region.
The Chernobyl New Safe Confinement structure cost $2.1 billion and was completed in 2019 to cover the remains of Reactor No. 4. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development said repairs would require at least 500 million euros ($586 million).
Ukraine's long-range drones can strike targets up to 1,500 kilometers (900 miles) inside Russia. Ukraine targeted Yaroslavl, which processes 15 million tons of oil annually.
The Bottom Line
The strikes come as international attention turns to the vulnerability of nuclear infrastructure during ongoing hostilities. The IAEA has warned that delays in repairing Chernobyl's damaged containment structure could worsen risks to the original sarcophagus housing radioactive material from the 1986 disaster.
Russia and Ukraine continue cross-border strikes with no ceasefire negotiations currently underway. Meanwhile, Russia's deepening military partnership with North Korea adds another dimension to the conflict, with Kim Jong Un committing troops and weapons to support Moscow's invasion.
What happens next: Ukrainian officials are calling for international pressure on Russia regarding nuclear site security. The IAEA has urged immediate repairs at Chernobyl, but access remains complicated by ongoing hostilities in the region.