Chernobyl’s $1.75 billion radiation shield compromised by drone attack, iaea reports

The massive protective dome shielding the Chernobyl nuclear disaster site can no longer effectively contain radiation after sustaining damage from a drone strike in February, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The attack, which Ukraine attributes to Russia, has compromised the integrity of one of the world’s most crucial environmental safety structures.

The “New Safe Confinement” represents nearly four decades of international effort to secure the site of the 1986 nuclear meltdown. The €1.5 billion ($1.75 billion) steel structure, completed in 2019 through a European-led initiative, was engineered as a technological marvel—built alongside the destroyed reactor and carefully moved into position on specially designed tracks. The massive dome was designed to contain radioactive materials for up to 100 years while enabling the eventual complete cleanup and decommissioning of the reactor.

An IAEA inspection conducted last week confirmed that the February drone impact created a significant hole in the confinement structure, severely degrading its ability to block radiation. This damage threatens not only the immediate safety of the surrounding area but also jeopardizes long-term plans for the site’s final remediation.

The attack on Chernobyl’s protective infrastructure highlights how ongoing conflicts can endanger critical environmental safety systems. The facility, located in the exclusion zone that remains largely uninhabitable nearly 40 years after the original disaster, now requires major repairs to restore its protective capabilities and prevent further radiation exposure to the environment.