Chernobyl’s radiation shield no longer fully functional after strike: IAEA warns

Drone strike leaves Chernobyl shield failing key safety roles, says IAEA

The protective structure built to contain radioactive material at the Chernobyl nuclear disaster site is no longer fully performing its key safety function after being damaged in a drone strike earlier this year, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said on Friday.

Ukraine has blamed Russia for the attack, which sparked a fire and tore through parts of the structure’s outer protective layer. Moscow has denied involvement.

The New Safe Confinement (NSC), the massive steel arch installed over the destroyed Reactor No. 4, was “severely damaged” during a February strike and has “lost its primary safety functions, including the confinement capability,” the UN nuclear watchdog said.

Despite the impact, IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi noted that the inspection “found that there was no permanent damage to its load-bearing structures or monitoring systems.” He added that radiation levels at the site remain normal, with no leaks detected.

“Limited temporary repairs have been carried out on the roof, but timely and comprehensive restoration remains essential to prevent further degradation and ensure long-term nuclear safety,” Grossi said.

The arch-shaped NSC, completed in 2019 to secure the site for up to 100 years, was designed to support cleanup efforts nearly four decades after the 1986 explosion, considered the worst nuclear accident in history. The project cost over €2 billion and was funded by more than 45 international donors.

Chernobyl briefly came under Russian control in the initial weeks of the 2022 invasion, before troops withdrew in late March that year. The IAEA continues to maintain a presence at the site and says it will “do everything it can to support efforts to fully restore nuclear safety and security.”