Russian drone strike on Chernobyl raises alarms as Putin-Trump talks intensify

Military and political observer with the Information Resistance Group Oleksandr Kovalenko discussed the issue on his Telegram channel.

In 2022, Russian forces considered staging a missile strike on the Chernobyl sarcophagus to blame Ukraine. According to the analyst, this provocation was intended as a signal to Kyiv and the countries supporting Ukraine that, in the event of a counter-offensive by Ukrainian forces, the Russian military command was prepared to take extreme measures to prevent the loss of captured territories.

After capturing the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, Russian forces repeatedly interfered with its operations and simulated missile strikes using artillery and drones. These actions intensified in 2023 as expectations of a Ukrainian counter-offensive in the south grew.

When the Russian military faces setbacks, Russian propaganda frequently resorts to nuclear threats, either by threatening antagonistic countries with nuclear strikes or spreading false claims that Ukraine is developing dirty atomic bombs. They also stoke fears about potential attacks on and the seizure of the Kursk nuclear power plant.

Russia’s totalitarian machine employs nuclear threats as a tactic in response to serious military difficulties, both by issuing nuclear warnings and spreading disinformation about Ukraine’s alleged nuclear weapons. The strike on Chernobyl occurred amid heightened discussions about phone calls between the U.S. president and Washington's proposals, which Russian propaganda framed as a victory. However, the timing of the Chernobyl attack raises questions about its true purpose.

“For the Kremlin, the process of ‘redrawing the world’ is more complicated than it seems. As in previous years, it uses nuclear threats to pressure both Kyiv and the West, creating a dangerous situation with the potential for a global catastrophe. The West must realize that negotiating with a cornered animal like Russia is not effective—it must be dealt with decisively, unless, of course, Western leaders, like Donald Trump, enjoy being manipulated,” Kovalenko concludes.

• On the night of February 14, a Russian strike drone with a fragmentation warhead hit the shelter of the destroyed 4th reactor unit at the Chornobyl nuclear power plant.