Ukraine has warned that repeated Russian missile and drone activity near the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant is increasing the risk of a major nuclear accident, according to the country’s top prosecutor, Reuters reported.
Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko said Russian forces have frequently flown weapons close to nuclear facilities, including the decommissioned Chornobyl site and the Khmelnytskyi Nuclear Power Plant, since the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022.
His remarks come as Ukraine prepares to mark the 40th anniversary of the 1986 Chornobyl disaster.
Kravchenko said both sites have been on the flight path of Russian hypersonic Kinzhal missile systems, with 35 detected within roughly 20 km of the facilities. Of those, 18 missiles passed within that range of both plants during the same flight.
“Such launches cannot be explained by any military considerations. It is evident that the flights over the nuclear facilities are carried out solely for the purpose of intimidation and terror,” he said.
Russia’s defence ministry did not respond to requests for comment.
The International Atomic Energy Agency said it has repeatedly reported military activity near nuclear sites and warned of the risks.
“IAEA Director General (Rafael) Grossi has repeatedly expressed deep concern about the risks and dangers of these military activities for nuclear safety and security,” it said.
“The DG has also repeatedly called for maximum restraint near nuclear facilities to avoid the danger of a nuclear accident.”
Kravchenko also disclosed that in three cases, Kinzhal missiles fell to the ground within about 10 km of the Khmelnytskyi plant. He said there were no signs they had been intercepted.
Since July 2024, Ukrainian radar systems have recorded at least 92 Russian drones flying within a five-kilometre radius of the Chornobyl site’s radiation containment shield, though the actual number may be higher.
“Deliberate flights of (drones) with a powerful warhead over a nuclear facility are at least extremely irresponsible and indicate a complete disregard … for the safety of civilians not only in Ukraine, but throughout Europe,” Kravchenko said.
The Chornobyl plant, the site of one of the world’s worst nuclear disasters in 1986, remains highly sensitive. Its containment structure was built to prevent radiation leaks from Reactor No. 4.
In February last year, Ukraine said a Russian long-range drone struck the facility, damaging the protective shield. Moscow denied responsibility, suggesting Kyiv may have staged the incident.
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development has estimated repairs could cost at least €500 million and warned that without action, “irreversible corrosion” could begin within four years.
Kravchenko said Ukrainian investigators believe the strike was likely deliberate, citing the steep angle of impact consistent with attack drone behaviour.
He added that Russia may be using the Chornobyl area as a flight corridor to avoid Ukrainian air defences, which are concentrated around populated areas and key infrastructure.
The Chornobyl exclusion zone lies close to the border with Belarus and about 100 km from Kyiv, making it a strategically sensitive region in the ongoing conflict.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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