The protective steel structure built to contain radioactive material at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant has lost its primary safety functions following a drone strike earlier this year, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has confirmed. Inspectors say the damage means the shield — known as the New Safe Confinement (NSC) — can no longer reliably block radiation from the melted reactor core Yahoo News UK Dawn Politico Europe.
The NSC, a €1.5 billion Europe‑funded project completed in 2019, was designed to seal off the remains of Reactor 4, which exploded in 1986 in the world’s worst nuclear disaster. But a Russian Shahed drone strike in February punctured the structure’s outer cladding and triggered a fire, degrading its ability to contain radioactive particles, according to Ukrainian officials and IAEA inspectors Yahoo News UK Newsweek The Print.
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said an inspection last week confirmed that the NSC’s confinement capability has been compromised, though its load‑bearing structures and monitoring systems remain intact. Some repairs have already been carried out, but Grossi warned that “comprehensive restoration remains essential” to prevent further deterioration and ensure long‑term nuclear safety Yahoo News UK The Print.
Ukraine has accused Russia of deliberately targeting the site, a claim Moscow denies. The strike marks the most serious damage to the Chernobyl facility since Russian forces briefly occupied the area in 2022.
The IAEA says the situation does not pose an immediate radiological emergency, but the loss of the shield’s full protective function raises concerns about long‑term containment, environmental exposure risks and the vulnerability of nuclear infrastructure in active conflict zones.
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