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Can the Chernobyl nuclear power plant cover be saved?

2025-07-12 15:56:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Can the Chernobyl nuclear power plant cover be saved?

Russia has massively increased its attacks on Ukraine, but in February news from the war-torn country shocked all of Europe. A Russian, Iranian-made suicide drone had crashed in Chernobyl. More precisely, in reactor block 4 of the decommissioned nuclear power plant. This reawakened dark memories of 1986, when the worst nuclear accident in human history occurred at that reactor.

Severe damage
The drone damaged the protective shell that had protected the reactor since 2019 and was intended to prevent the release of radioactivity. This news was quickly forgotten because experts were unable to measure any increase in radioactivity in the reactor. However, the impact of the drone had serious consequences. The drone penetrated the outer steel wall of the protective enclosure, known in technical jargon as the "New Safe Confinement". About nine meters below is an inner wall - parts of the drone also penetrated it. However, the space between the two walls played a crucial role in the safety concept.

Local experts believe that the protective shield, which cost over two billion euros to build, may no longer function as planned. A full repair is likely to be carried out, Artem Siryj, operations manager at the protective shield, told the German portal tagesschau.de, but securing financial resources may not be possible.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian and international specialists have developed a concept for sealing the holes and at least sealing the inner wall, Siryj said. This will provide good protection. Siryj hopes that work will begin this year. The current protective covering was financed by a fund contributed by donor countries and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). Officials in Ukraine are hoping for further support from the EBRD./ DW





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