President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of “nuclear terrorism” on Sunday as Ukraine commemorated the 40th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster.
He warned that Russian drones regularly fly over the site, with one striking its protective shell last year.
Zelensky said Russia’s actions were “again bringing the world to the brink of a man-made disaster,” urging global powers to stop Moscow’s reckless attacks. His remarks came as Ukraine endured another wave of overnight strikes.
Russian drone attacks killed three civilians and wounded at least four others in regions including Sumy and Dnipro. In Sumy, two men aged 48 and 72 died when drones struck near Bilopillia, close to the Russian border. In Dnipro, one person was killed and four injured as homes and vehicles sustained damage.
Ukraine’s air force reported Russia launched 144 drones overnight, with 124 shot down. In Crimea, Moscow-installed authorities said 43 drones were intercepted, though one person died in Sevastopol when a vehicle was hit.
The anniversary of Chernobyl, the world’s worst civilian nuclear disaster, added weight to Zelensky’s warning. The 1986 explosion exposed hundreds of thousands to radiation, with death toll estimates ranging from 4,000 in UN reports to nearly 100,000 in Greenpeace assessments.
Ukraine’s leadership framed the latest strikes as part of Russia’s escalating drone warfare, underscoring the risks of nuclear facilities being caught in the conflict.
