President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday called for more air defense systems from Ukraine’s allies after Russian drone and missile strikes on Kyiv killed seven people – including the widow of a worker who died in the 1986 Chornobyl disaster.
“Only this can stop further Russian terror and give Ukrainian families the basic right to safety in their homes,” Zelensky wrote on X.
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Russia’s massive attack on Kyiv on November 14 took the life of Nataliia Khodemchuk.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) November 15, 2025
She was the wife of Valerii Khodemchuk, a circulating-pump operator at Reactor 4 of the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant, who died on April 26, 1986. He was the only plant worker whose body was… pic.twitter.com/eHk4WuzuC0
Zelensky’s comments came after Russia’s early morning barrage on Friday tore through residential buildings across the capital.
Among those killed was Nataliia Khodemchuk, the wife of a circulating-pump operator at Reactor 4 of the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant. Her husband, Valerii Khodemchuk, died in the initial explosion during the 1986 disaster and was never recovered – becoming the first official victim of the meltdown.
“Nearly four decades later, Nataliia was killed in a new tragedy caused once again by the Kremlin,” Zelensky said, drawing a direct line between Soviet-era negligence and modern Russian aggression.
The death toll rose to seven on Saturday after an elderly woman died in hospital, according to city officials. Other victims included a couple in their 70s and a 62-year-old resident.
ISW Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, June 16, 2026
“Ukraine needs support that saves lives: more air-defense systems, more protective capabilities, and greater resolve from our partners,” Zelensky stressed.
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