On February 17, 2025, the State Agency of Ukraine for Exclusion Zone Management announced the suspension of active firefighting operations at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant (ChNPP). According to the agency, no open fires were observed, and the radiation situation remained normal. The fire occurred after an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) struck a protective structure above the fourth power unit of the plant.

The incident occurred on the night of February 14, 2025. According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), at about 01:50, employees at the Chernobyl NPP site heard an explosion from the new protective confinement covering the reactor destroyed in 1986. The impact caused a fire that was quickly contained. The radiation level inside and outside the structure remains stable and does not exceed the norm. There were no casualties as a result of the incident.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the strike was carried out by a Russian drone with a high-explosive warhead, causing significant damage to the protective structure. In particular, a hole about six meters in diameter was formed, equipment and electrical cables were damaged. However, the supporting structures were not damaged.

In response to these accusations, the press secretary of the Russian president Dmitry Peskov called the incident a provocation and emphasized that the Russian military does not strike nuclear infrastructure facilities. He stated that such claims do not correspond to reality.

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi expressed grave concern over the incident, stressing that attacks on nuclear facilities are absolutely unacceptable. He noted that the incident in Chernobyl, as well as the increased military activity around the Zaporizhzhya NPP, highlight the continuing risks to nuclear safety. The IAEA continues to monitor the situation and is on high alert.

The Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, located in the Kyiv region, was the site of the worst nuclear disaster in history in 1986. Following the accident, a protective structure known as the "sarcophagus" was erected over the destroyed fourth power unit. In 2019, it was replaced by the New Safe Confinement, designed for 100 years of operation. It is designed to prevent the release of radioactive substances into the environment and ensure safe work on dismantling the destroyed reactor.