Significant damage to Chernobyl after Russian drone attack, Ukraine says

The Chernobyl nuclear power plant has been attacked by Russia, according to Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky.

In a post on X, Mr Zelenksy said the warhead hit the protective shell that surrounds the fourth power unit at the nuclear power plant.

Footage shared by the Ukrainian president showed the drone hitting the shell before exploding in a ball of flames, with a fire then proceeding to burn as flaming elements dropped to the ground.

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The fire has since been extinguished, but the strike did damage the plant's protective casing.

In 1986, in what became known as the Chernobyl disaster, reactor No 4 suffered a catastrophic explosion and meltdown which caused large quantities of radioactive materials to be dispersed in the atmosphere and surrounding land. 

The shell – made of concrete, lead and, more recently, steel – protects "the world from radiation", Mr Zelensky said, and was built to stop any radioactive material leaking out over the next century.

"The only country in the world that attacks such sites, occupies nuclear power plants, and wages war without any regard for the consequences is today's Russia," Zelensky said.

"This is a terrorist threat to the entire world."

The protective shell was built by Ukraine alongside other countries from across the world, including the US.

"All those committed to real security for humanity," Mr Zelensky said.

He also confirmed the radiation levels had not increased as a result of the strike, although added they are constantly being monitored.

"According to initial assessments, the damage to the shelter is significant," he said.

Mr Zelensky said the attack is just one of many that Russia carries out "every night" on Ukraine's infrastructure and cities.

He also said Russia is continuing to grow its Army and its "deranged, anti-human state rhetoric". 

"This means that Putin is definitely not preparing for negotiations – he is preparing to continue deceiving the world," Mr Zelensky said in the post.

"That is why there must be unified pressure from all who value life – pressure on the aggressor. Russia must be held accountable for its actions."

It comes following a Nato defence ministers meeting in Brussels, at which the US Secretary of Defence, former Fox and Friends host Pete Hegseth, outlined a radical change in the US approach to the war in Ukraine.

As well as calling for EU nations to provide an "overwhelming" percentage of the funding for Ukraine, he also said it was not realistic for Ukraine to join Nato.

It was also reported that Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin had a "lengthy" phone call which saw the pair agree to start negotiating the end of the war.

However, President Zelensky said Ukraine would not agree to any peace deal between Russia and the US if his country is not involved in the negotiations.