€400,000 allocated to study Chornobyl shelter damage after Russian attack

Ukraine's Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources, Svitlana Hrynchuk, announced the decision.

According to her, the decision was made during an emergency meeting of the Account's assembly, jointly attended by the EBRD, Ukraine's Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources, and the State Agency of Ukraine on Exclusion Zone Management.

The funding allocation is the first step toward working with partners to restore the NSC (New Safe Confinement) Arch to full operation after the Russian attack. The funds will be used for an expert assessment of the consequences of the drone strike on the Arch's protective shell.

Hrynchuk stated that during the meeting, partners also reviewed preliminary damage assessment results and discussed further steps to restore the NSC Arch.

"Restoring the confinement is a massive challenge. Addressing the consequences of Russian aggression will likely require more funds than currently available in the International Chornobyl Cooperation Account (ICCA)," she emphasized.

Russian drone strike on Chornobyl power unit

On the night of February 14, a Russian UAV carrying a high-explosive warhead struck the shelter of Chornobyl NPP's 4th power unit, causing significant damage. The next day, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha met with IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi to discuss the incident, while Ukraine's Ministry of Energy urged the IAEA to intensify efforts to prevent further attacks on nuclear facilities.

On February 16, International Atomic Energy Agency representatives inspected the Chornobyl NPP shelter. Their inspection confirmed that both the outer and inner shells of the arch were damaged in the attack. A hole approximately six meters in diameter was found, along with damage to equipment and electrical cables. However, the supporting beams remained largely intact.

Repairs are expected to begin once the fire is fully extinguished. Meanwhile, IAEA representatives confirmed that radiation levels at the site remain unchanged, aligning with Ukrainian authorities' reports.

On February 17, three areas of roof insulation decay were discovered at Chornobyl NPP, and work to address them is ongoing.

Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers has allocated over UAH 1.5 billion to maintain the Chornobyl NPP shelter in a safe condition.