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THE protective steel confinement at Ukraine’s Chernobyl nuclear plant, designed to contain radioactive material from the 1986 disaster, has lost its primary safety functions following damage caused by a drone strike, the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog reported on Friday. Ukraine has attributed the attack to Russia.
Reuters, on Friday, cited the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) saying an inspection last week revealed that the drone impact in February had degraded the structure completed in 2019, which was intended to provide long-term containment of radioactive material.
“Mission confirmed that the [protective structure] had lost its primary safety functions, including the confinement capability, but also found that there was no permanent damage to its load-bearing structures or monitoring systems,” IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said in a statement.
Grossi added that while immediate repairs had been carried out, “comprehensive restoration remains essential to prevent further degradation and ensure long-term nuclear safety.”
The U.N. previously reported that on February 14, Ukrainian authorities stated a drone carrying a high-explosive warhead struck the plant, igniting a fire and damaging the protective cladding around reactor Number Four, the unit destroyed during the 1986 disaster. Ukraine blamed Russia for the attack, which Moscow denied.
Despite the structural damage, radiation levels at the facility remained normal and stable, with no reports of radioactive leaks, the U.N. confirmed. The inspection underscores the ongoing vulnerability of Chernobyl’s containment systems amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. - December 6, 2025
