Photo: TETIANA DZHAFAROVA / AFP / Getty Images
The protective shield at the Chernobyl nuclear disaster site in Ukraine can no longer contain radioactive waste following a drone strike earlier this year, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The New Safe Confinement (NSC), which was severely damaged in February, has lost its primary safety functions, including its confinement capability, the IAEA announced on Friday (December 5).
The drone strike occurred on the night of February 13-14, 2025, when an unmanned aerial vehicle hit the roof of the NSC, causing a fire. Ukrainian authorities have attributed the attack to Russian forces, a claim that Moscow has denied. The NSC, completed in 2019 at a cost of $1.75 billion, was designed to last a century and provide a secure environment for the decommissioning of Chernobyl's reactor No. 4, which exploded in 1986.
According to the IAEA, while the load-bearing skeleton of the structure remains intact, the outer cladding was damaged, compromising the shield's ability to contain radiation. Radiation levels at the site are currently reported as normal and stable, with no detected leaks of radioactive material since the strike.
The incident has sparked international concern and calls for enhanced protection of nuclear sites during armed conflicts. Plans for major repair work are underway, with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development preparing to fund the project, which is expected to begin in 2026. The restoration of the NSC's full containment capability presents a complex engineering challenge due to the structure's size and the radioactive environment.
The situation underscores the ongoing risks to nuclear safety amid the conflict in Ukraine, as highlighted by IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi. He has urged for maximum military restraint around Ukraine's nuclear sites to prevent further incidents.