Explosion heard at Chernobyl nuclear plant site, radiation levels remain normal: IAEA

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said on Friday an explosion was heard at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant (NPP) site overnight, but assured the radiation levels at the site remain normal.

The IAEA team at the Chernobyl site heard an explosion coming from the New Safe Confinement, which protects the remains of reactor 4 of the former Chernobyl NPP, causing a fire, the IAEA said on social media platform X.

The IAEA team was informed that an unmanned aerial vehicle had struck the confinement's roof, it said.

Director General of the IAEA Rafael Grossi said on Friday that the drone attack on the Chernobyl site was a very serious matter, but he could confirm that there was no nuclear leakage accident.

Grossi also said that the recent attack on the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant and the escalating military activities near the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant highlight the persistent nuclear security risks, and the IAEA will maintain a high level of alertness.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on social media on Friday that the attack was carried out by the Russian side, using a drone with a high-explosive warhead that caused damage to the confinement's facility.

However, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Friday that Moscow was not behind the attack, and dismissed Zelensky's remarks as a "provocative" accusation by Ukraine.

The Chernobyl plant, some 110 km north of the Ukrainian capital of Kiev, suffered one of the worst nuclear accidents in human history on April 26, 1986.

Explosion heard at Chernobyl nuclear plant site, radiation levels remain normal: IAEA

Explosion heard at Chernobyl nuclear plant site, radiation levels remain normal: IAEA

Explosion heard at Chernobyl nuclear plant site, radiation levels remain normal: IAEA

Explosion heard at Chernobyl nuclear plant site, radiation levels remain normal: IAEA

The central parity rate of the Chinese currency renminbi, or the yuan, strengthened 20 pips to 7.0108 against the U.S. dollar Monday, according to the China Foreign Exchange Trade System.

In China's spot foreign exchange market, the yuan is allowed to rise or fall by 2 percent from the central parity rate each trading day.

The central parity rate of the yuan against the U.S. dollar is based on a weighted average of prices offered by market makers before the opening of the interbank market each business day.

Chinese yuan strengthens to 7.0108 against USD Monday