IAEA Says Chernobyl Protective Shield No Longer Effective

The UN nuclear watchdog has warned that the protective arch built over the destroyed reactor at the Chernobyl nuclear plant can no longer fully carry out its key safety role after sustaining drone damage. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported that an inspection last week found the confinement structure, completed in 2019, had been compromised by a drone strike in February. Ukraine says the drone was Russian, although Moscow denies attacking the site.

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said the mission confirmed the structure had lost its primary safety functions, including its ability to contain radioactive material. He noted that repairs had already begun yet full restoration is still vital to stop further deterioration and secure long-term nuclear safety. He also stressed that crucial load-bearing elements and monitoring systems were not permanently harmed.

The UN said earlier this year that the drone carried a high explosive warhead, sparked a fire and damaged the cladding around Reactor Four, the unit destroyed in the 1986 disaster. Radiation levels remained normal and there were no reports of leaks.

The 1986 explosion spread radiation across Europe and required a massive emergency response. Chernobyl’s last reactor closed in 2000. Russian forces occupied the site and the surrounding zone for more than a month during the initial phase of the 2022 invasion as they attempted to advance on Kyiv.

The IAEA inspection was carried out alongside a wider assessment of war-related damage to Ukraine’s power infrastructure after nearly four years of conflict.