Kyiv: Ukraine’s state-run nuclear energy operator Energoatom on Sunday accused Russia of attacking its spent nuclear fuel storage facility near the disused Chornobyl power plant.
According to Energoatom, a drone strike occurred at around 2:10 a.m. on Saturday, partially destroying the facility’s container-receiving building.
The agency said that no spent nuclear fuel was stored in the damaged structure, Xinhua news agency reported.
A fire covering an area of about 40 square metres was promptly contained and fully extinguished. No casualties among personnel were reported.
As of Sunday morning, radiation levels at the facility site remain within normal limits.
Russia has not responded to the alleged attack on the facility, which is located around 15 km from the Chornobyl plant, the site of one of the worst nuclear disasters in human history.
On Saturday, Russian air defence forces shot down 144 Ukrainian drones over the Leningrad region during an aerial attack, Regional Governor Alexander Drozdenko said on social media.
Drozdenko said no major damage was reported. However, falling drone debris was reported in several districts, causing minor damage to residential buildings.
A fire broke out at a Russian Defence Ministry facility in the Lomonosovsky district as a result of the attack, he added.
Four local residents received medical assistance due to the fire. One person was hospitalised, while three others, including a child, received treatment on site.
More than 600 people were evacuated from the security zone around the facility, according to regional authorities.
Drozdenko said the fire was extinguished and emergency recovery work was completed.
The attack marks the second major drone assault on St. Petersburg and the Leningrad region since the start of this year’s St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, which concludes on Saturday.
(IANS)
