Large forest fire burning in Chernobyl exclusion zone after drone crash, Kyiv says

Published on 08/05/2026 - 11:13 GMT+2

A ample wood occurrence was burning done the Chernobyl exclusion portion connected Friday pursuing a drone clang adjacent the defunct atomic works the erstwhile day, Ukrainian authorities said.

Radiation levels astatine the tract were wrong "normal limits," authorities reported, adding that firefighters were moving to incorporate the blaze.

An representation published by Ukraine's authorities exigency work showed a ample file of achromatic fume billowing into the entity from the area, parts of which are closed disconnected to the nationalist owed to precocious levels of radioactivity.

The tract surrounding the Chernobyl atomic works has been mostly deserted since 1986, erstwhile the works suffered a catastrophic meltdown.

"As of 10 americium connected May 8, the approximate country of the occurrence was astir 1,100 hectares (11 quadrate kilometres)," the Chernobyl quality reserve, which manages the site, said.

The occurrence broke retired connected Thursday "as a effect of a drone crash," it added but did not accidental the root of the drone.

Kyiv has repeatedly accused Moscow of recklessly attacking its atomic sites, including the Chernobyl complex.

A Russian drone past twelvemonth punctured a spread successful 1 of the radiation shells covering the reactor portion that exploded successful the 1986 disaster.

Ukraine's authorities exigency work said rescuers were moving to forestall the further dispersed of the fire.

"Due to beardown gusts of wind, the occurrence is rapidly spreading crossed the territory, covering caller sections of the forest," it said.

"The concern is analyzable by adust weather, beardown winds and excavation information successful definite areas of the territory, which importantly limits the anticipation of extinguishing work."

The exclusion portion suffered wildfires successful 2020, which lasted respective weeks and caused a spike successful inheritance radiation.

Just past month, Ukraine marked 40 years since the catastrophe astatine the plant.