Daijiworld Media Network - Kyiv
Kyiv, Dec 7: The protective shield at Ukraine’s Chornobyl nuclear plant, designed to contain radioactive material from the 1986 disaster, can no longer perform its primary safety function due to drone damage, the UN nuclear watchdog has said. Ukraine has attributed the strike to Russia.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported that an inspection last week of the steel confinement structure, completed in 2019, revealed that a drone impact in February had degraded the structure.
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said, “The mission confirmed that the protective structure had lost its primary safety functions, including confinement capability, but there was no permanent damage to its load-bearing structures or monitoring systems.” He added that repairs have been carried out, but comprehensive restoration remains essential to prevent further degradation and ensure long-term nuclear safety.
Ukrainian authorities reported on February 14 that a drone with a high-explosive warhead struck the plant, causing a fire and damaging the protective cladding around reactor Number Four, destroyed in 1986. Radiation levels remained normal, and there were no reports of leaks. Moscow denied involvement.
The 1986 Chornobyl disaster released radiation across Europe. The plant’s last working reactor closed in 2000. During the early weeks of Russia’s February 2022 invasion, Russian forces occupied Chornobyl and surrounding areas while attempting to advance toward Kyiv.
The IAEA conducted the inspection alongside a country-wide survey of war-related damage to Ukraine’s electricity infrastructure.