The protective shell surrounding the Chernobyl disaster site is no longer fully functional, according to a nuclear watchdog report. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) stated, via ANI, that the main containment barrier—intended to keep radioactive material secured at the site—has been compromised by a drone strike earlier this year and can no longer perform its primary safety role.
The IAEA noted that the New Safe Confinement (NSC) was severely damaged in the February attack and has since lost its essential containment capabilities. Ukraine has accused Russian forces of carrying out the strike on February 14, a charge the Kremlin has denied. The incident sparked a fire and damaged exterior panels of the NSC, which had been installed to stabilise conditions at the site decades after the 1986 disaster.
An inspection conducted last week, following a 2019 construction of the steel confinement structure, confirmed that the February drone impact degraded the facility. IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi stated that the mission found the structure had lost its primary safety functions, including confinement, but there was no permanent damage to load-bearing elements or monitoring systems. The agency called for extensive repairs to the steel enclosure, emphasizing that timely and comprehensive restoration is essential to prevent further degradation and ensure long-term nuclear safety.
Grossi also noted no lasting impact on support components or monitoring equipment at Chernobyl. The IAEA, with personnel on site, pledged to continue supporting efforts to fully restore nuclear safety and security at the facility.
Chernobyl remains a focal point in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The 1986 explosion at the No. 4 reactor sent radioactive material across large parts of Ukraine, Belarus, Russia, and beyond, with Pripyat experiencing immediate fatalities and many long-term health consequences. The plant’s last operating reactor was shut down in 2000. Russian forces occupied the area during the initial weeks of the 2022 invasion, as they attempted to press toward Kyiv.
The New Safe Confinement is a large arch-shaped structure designed to cover the damaged No. 4 reactor and contain hazardous materials. Construction ran from 2010 to 2019 and the NSC is designed to function for up to a century. It stands as the world’s largest movable land-based construction and has been pivotal to safeguarding the site. The project cost about €2.1 billion, funded by more than 45 international donors through the Chernobyl Shelter Fund, which has been hailed as one of the most significant joint nuclear-safety initiatives to date.
The 1986 explosion released radioactive material across Ukraine, Belarus, Russia, and beyond, resulting in immediate deaths in Pripyat and long-term health impacts for many residents, with elevated cancer and birth defect rates reported in affected regions by global health authorities.
