The United Nations’ International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) announced on Friday that the protective shield at Ukraine’s Chernobyl nuclear power plant — constructed to contain radioactive materials from the catastrophic 1986 meltdown — can no longer fully perform its primary safety functions after being damaged in a drone strike that Ukraine has blamed on Russia.
According to the agency, an inspection conducted last week revealed deterioration in the steel confinement structure, which was completed in 2019 as an added layer of protection over the destroyed reactor, reports news agencies.
The damage stems from a drone incident reported in February, three years after the outbreak of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
“The inspection mission confirmed that the protective structure had lost its basic safety functions, including its ability to contain,” IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said in a statement. “However, the mission also concluded that there was no permanent damage to the main load-bearing structures or to the monitoring systems.”
Grossi noted that some repair work has already been undertaken, but emphasized that “a comprehensive restoration remains necessary to prevent further deterioration and ensure long-term nuclear safety.”
The United Nations reported on February 14 that Ukrainian authorities said a drone carrying a high-explosive warhead struck the site, triggering a fire and damaging the protective cladding over reactor number four, the same reactor destroyed during the 1986 disaster. Ukraine accused Russia of carrying out the strike, an allegation Moscow has denied.
Despite the damage, UN officials confirmed at the time that radiation levels at the site remained normal and stable, and that no radiation leak had been detected.
