Terrifying pictures show a gaping hole in the side of the Chernobyl sarcophagus after a alleged Russian strike hit the disaster site. President Zelensky pointed the finger at Russia, saying: "A Russian strike drone with a high-explosive warhead hit the shelter that protects the world from the radiation of the destroyed 4th power unit of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant this night.

For the first time, a Russian projectile directly struck a structure containing a nuclear reactor. Moscow has increasingly been targeting Ukraine's nuclear infrastructure.