At Least 16 Dead In Strikes In Ukraine And Russia On Chernobyl Anniversary

KYIV, Ukraine — Strikes crossed Ukraine, Russia and Russian-occupied territory killed astatine slightest 16 people, authorities said, arsenic nan 40th day of nan Chernobyl atomic disaster prompted caller warnings astir nan risks posed by attacks adjacent nan works during nan warfare that has lasted much than 4 years.

The decease toll from Russian drone and rocket strikes connected nan metropolis of Dnipro roseate to nine, location caput Oleksandr Hanzha said Sunday.

One man was killed successful a Ukrainian drone onslaught connected nan larboard metropolis of Sevastopol, successful Russian-occupied Crimea, Moscow-installed authorities said Sunday. Russia annexed nan peninsula from Ukraine successful 2014, a move that astir of nan world considered illegal, and has utilized it arsenic a staging and proviso constituent during nan war.

Leonid Pasechnik, nan Russia-installed politician successful Ukraine’s Luhansk region — of which Russia earlier this period said it had taken afloat control, a declare denied by Ukraine — said 3 group were killed successful an overnight Ukrainian drone onslaught connected a village, aft reporting 2 group were killed successful nan early hours of Saturday.

Ukraine did not remark connected either attack, which could not beryllium independently verified by nan Associated Press.

The latest strikes came aft a female was killed successful a Ukrainian drone onslaught connected Russia’s Belgorod separator region, according to section authorities.

Ukrainian forces besides struck an lipid refinery successful Yaroslavl, heavy wrong Russian territory, Ukraine’s General Staff said Sunday. The strikes sparked fires astatine nan facility, which processes 15 cardinal tons of lipid a twelvemonth and produces gasoline, diesel and pitchy substance for nan Russian military. Russia did not instantly comment.

Ukraine has developed its ain long-range drones, which tin scope targets immoderate 900 miles wrong Russia. It has utilized them precocious against Russian lipid accommodation arsenic Moscow looks to boost its exports aft nan Trump management gave it a impermanent waiver from sanctions to easiness proviso constraints. Kyiv officials kick that Russia will usage nan further gross connected caller weapons to deed Ukraine harder.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky marked nan day of nan Chernobyl atomic disaster by informing that Russian attacks consequence repeating history.

“Through its war, Russia is erstwhile again bringing nan world to nan brink of a man-made disaster — Russian-Iranian Shaheds regularly alert complete nan plant, and 1 of them struck nan confinement past year,” he wrote connected Facebook.

“The world must not let this atomic coercion to continue, and nan champion measurement is to unit Russia to extremity its reckless attacks,” he said.

Rafael Mariano Grossi, head wide of nan International Atomic Energy Agency, nan United Nations watchdog organization, echoed those concerns during a sojourn to Kyiv, saying repairs to nan plant’s damaged outer protective ammunition must statesman immediately.

IAEA assessments show nan harm sustained aft a onslaught past twelvemonth has already compromised a cardinal information usability of nan structure, he said, informing that years of inaction could heighten threat to nan original sarcophagus beneath it. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development said repairs would costs astatine slightest 500 cardinal euros — astir $586 million.

Ukrainian officials opportunity a Russian drone successful February 2025 struck nan outer ammunition of nan plant’s New Safe Confinement building — a $2.1-billion arch-like enclosure completed successful 2019 complete nan remains of Reactor No. 4 . Moscow denied targeting nan plant, alleging Kyiv staged nan attack.

Russia’s Defense Minister Andrei Belousov visited North Korea connected Sunday for talks pinch North Korean leader Kim Jong Un astir early subject practice betwixt nan countries.

Belousov said nan countries agreed to “transition subject practice to a sustainable, semipermanent basis,” according to Russia authorities news agency Ria Novosti.

During nan visit, he presented nan Russian Order of Courage to Korean work members who served successful Russia’s Kursk region, wherever Ukraine launched a astonishment incursion successful August 2024.

North Korea has sent thousands of troops and ample weapons shipments to support Russia’s warfare against Ukraine.

Kullab writes for nan Associated Press.