Zelensky condemns 'vile' Chornobyl strike as E3 leaders convene in London
Enerhoatom confirms partial destruction of spent fuel facility, while Russian President Vladimir Putin rejects direct negotiations with Kyiv
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has condemned a Russian drone strike on a spent nuclear fuel storage facility near the Chornobyl nuclear plant, describing the incident as a "vile" and deliberate attack on critical infrastructure. The strike occurred just hours before Zelensky was scheduled to meet with European leaders in London to discuss long-term security guarantees for Ukraine.
Enerhoatom, Ukraine’s state-owned nuclear operator, confirmed that the drone attack partially destroyed a building housing spent nuclear fuel. Officials stated that the resulting fire was extinguished, there were no injuries, and radiation levels remained stable. The operator explicitly criticised Moscow for what it termed a deliberate threat to nuclear safety, a stance echoed by Zelensky in a statement on X.
The diplomatic gathering at Downing Street brings together Zelensky, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. The E3 group, comprising the UK, France, and Germany, are among Kyiv’s strongest allies and lead the "coalition of the willing" initiative aimed at providing security guarantees. This meeting follows a previous E3 convening in London in December, when the United States was actively pushing for a rapid peace plan.
The diplomatic push comes amid intensified Russian offensive operations. Zelensky reported that Moscow launched 88 missiles, more than 3,250 drones, and 1,800 guided bombs across 13 Ukrainian regions over the past week. Separately, at least three people were killed in a Russian strike near Zaporizhzhia, adding to at least two fatalities reported in the same area the preceding Saturday.
Tensions have also escalated on the Russian side, with Kyiv recently targeting St Petersburg during a major economic forum. Russian authorities described the attack as "unprecedented," noting that Ukraine has developed its defence sector over the four years since the invasion began, enabling regular strikes on targets within Russia. Despite these developments, Russian President Vladimir Putin has rejected Zelensky’s proposal for face-to-face talks, stating he saw no point in meeting the Ukrainian leader and arguing that a truce would merely allow Ukraine to regroup.
Meanwhile, mediation efforts for a Ukraine truce have reportedly stalled, with Washington’s focus shifting towards the Iran war. Zelensky sent an open letter calling for direct negotiations, arguing it would be "wrong to simply wait" for the conflict to regain attention in the United States. Putin reiterated during the economic forum that he would only end the war when Russia’s goals had been met.
