President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine called the damage “significant” but said there were no signs of radiation leaks. A Kremlin spokesman denied that Russia had carried out the strike.

An alleged Russian drone has hit the shield containing the contaminated materials at the former Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine.

A drone armed with a warhead hit the protective outer shell of Ukraine's Chernobyl nuclear plant early on Friday, punching a hole in the structure and briefly starting a fire, in an attack Kyiv has blamed on Russia.