The International Atomic Energy Agency reported that Chernobyl's New Safe Confinement no longer contains radioactive waste due to a February drone attack. The 2019 structure was severely damaged, losing its primary safety functions. Director General Rafael Grossi recommended a comprehensive renovation to prevent further degradation.
On Saturday, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) of the United Nations reported that the protective shield around a reactor at the Chernobyl nuclear plant in Ukraine can no longer contain radioactive waste. This is due to a drone attack carried out earlier this year, specifically on February 14, which caused a fire and damaged the coating of the structure known as the New Safe Confinement (NSC).
Built in 2019 at a cost of US$1.6 billion and designed to last 100 years, the NSC was erected to confine radioactive emissions from reactor number four, destroyed in the 1986 disaster that caused over 30 immediate deaths and contaminated vast areas of Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia. The IAEA's assessment, completed after an inspection at the reactor, details that the structure "lost its primary safety functions, including confinement capability".
"Limited temporary repairs have been carried out on the roof, but a timely and comprehensive restoration remains essential to prevent further degradation and ensure long-term nuclear safety," stated IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi. No permanent damage was reported to load-bearing structures or monitoring systems, and the agency will continue supporting restoration efforts.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy alerted about the attack in February, stating it caused damage but radiation levels remained normal. Moscow denied involvement, insisting it does not target nuclear infrastructure. Chernobyl has been a flashpoint in the Russia-Ukraine war since the 2022 invasion, when Russian forces briefly occupied the plant.
The 1986 disaster spread radioactivity across wide areas, establishing a 20-mile exclusion zone and affecting about 5 million people in contaminated lands, with elevated rates of cancer and birth defects.