Even an indirect hit can lead to the destruction of the protective structure over the plant, said the Chernobyl director. In February 2025, the shell was partially destroyed by a Russian UAV, DW reports.
The protective structure over the fourth reactor of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, damaged in early 2025 as a result of a Russian strike, remains critically vulnerable, and a new Russian attack could destroy it. This was reported on Monday, December 23, by the director of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, Sergey Tarakanov, to the AFP agency.
The Fall of a UAV or 'Iskander' Near Chernobyl Could Be a Threat
According to Tarakanov, even an indirect hit can cause seismic vibrations that the sarcophagus may not withstand. "If a missile or drone hits it directly, or even falls somewhere nearby - for example, an 'Iskander', God forbid - it will cause a mini-earthquake in that area," said Tarakanov. "No one can guarantee that the protective structure will remain standing after that. This is the main threat."
The remnants of the nuclear power plant in Chernobyl are covered by an internal radiation shell made of steel and concrete (the 'sarcophagus'), hastily built immediately after the disaster in 1986, as well as a high-tech external shell (the New Safe Confinement, NSC), which was put into operation in 2019.
The section of the new shell was severely damaged as a result of a Russian drone strike in February 2025, which caused a significant fire. "Our NSC has lost several of its key functions. And we understand that it will take us at least three to four years to restore these functions," added Tarakanov.
IAEA: The Shell Has Lost Its Isolation Function
Earlier in December, inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) established that the new protective structure of Chernobyl "has lost its main safety functions, including the ability to isolate." At the same time, according to the Chernobyl director, the radiation level at the site remains "stable and within normal limits." Tarakanov noted that the hole created by the UAV strike has been sealed.
