🔗 Share this article Chernobyl Catastrophe Shelter Can No Longer Effectively Blocks Radiation, Requires Significant Repair – IAEA The protective shield encasing the Chernobyl nuclear reactor in Ukraine has lost its primary function of containing radioactive material, according to the IAEA. This failure follows a drone attack earlier this year that blew a hole in the structure. Structural Compromise from Drone Strike Degrades Safety Structure A drone strike in February caused a breach in the multibillion-euro “New Safe Confinement” arch. This enormous protective structure, constructed for €1.5bn and completed in 2019, was intended to seal off radioactive material over the long term. A recent IAEA assessment mission confirmed that the strike had weakened the structural integrity of the steel arch. The containment arch's main safety functions, such as confinement, are no longer operational, stated IAEA head Rafael Grossi. Grossi noted that inspectors found no lasting harm to key support structures or sensor systems. Background Context of the Chornobyl Shelter The initial 1986 disaster at the Chernobyl plant – at a time when Ukraine was part of the USSR – spewed radiation over much of Europe. In a hurried containment effort, Soviet authorities constructed a concrete shelter over the ruined reactor, but it had a three-decade design life. The New Safe Confinement was erected to enable the future decommissioning of the original structure, the destroyed reactor hall, and the molten fuel itself. Current Situation and Required Actions Although limited repairs have been carried out, the IAEA emphasized that a full-scale repair effort is absolutely necessary. This is needed to prevent further degradation and to guarantee safety for the coming decades. Officials in Ukraine had stated that a unmanned aircraft armed with a high-explosive warhead struck the facility, causing a fire and compromising the outer shielding. Radiation Readings: Authorities confirmed radiation levels stayed within safe limits following the attack with no indication of radiation leaks. Conflict Background: Moscow's troops occupied the Chernobyl exclusion zone for over a month in the early stages of the full-scale war. Broader Inspection: The agency carried out this inspection concurrently with a nationwide survey of war damage to Ukraine's power substations. These developments underscore the persistent risks at one of the world's most notorious nuclear disaster sites amid ongoing hostilities.