A team from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) investigating the effects of military activity on energy infrastructure has found that the protective shield covering the Chernobyl nuclear reactor has been “severely damaged” in a drone strike that occurred in February 2025.
The drone strike also caused a major fire in the outer cladding of the massive steel structure built to prevent any radioactive release from the reactor destroyed in the 1986 accident, IAEA said.
As a result of the drone event, the shield lost its primary safety functions, including the confinement capability. The IAEA team found that there was no permanent damage to its load-bearing structures or monitoring systems.
“Limited temporary repairs have been carried out on the roof, but timely and comprehensive restoration remains essential to prevent further degradation and ensure long-term nuclear safety,” IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said.
Another IAEA team is travelling across Ukraine this month to assess the status of electrical substations critical for nuclear safety and security, following recent military attacks targeting energy infrastructure.
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Image: Petr Pavlicek/IAEA
