Arch over Chornobyl NPP pushed onto shelter, no roof material decay – expert

This was reported by Oleh Korikov, Chairman of the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate and Chief State Inspector for Nuclear and Radiation Safety of Ukraine, according to Espreso correspondent Yulia Zubchenko.

"According to preliminary information, as of 7 am today, no decay of the roof material was detected. The arch was built at a distance from power unit No. 4 (...) on the ground – now it has been pushed onto unit No. 4, onto the shelter, and the load there is quite high," Korikov said.

He explained that a shelter was built at the fourth power unit of the Chornobyl NPP, which degraded over time. Because of this, an arch was constructed on top to ensure the facility's isolation.

He added that there are unstable structures at the shelter that need either stabilization or dismantling. These structures are expected to be operational until 2029.

"But since the shelter isn't currently fulfilling its isolation role, the risk linked to the unstable structures of unit No. 4 and the shelter is now a concern," he added.

Korikov emphasized that an operational headquarters is currently managing the aftermath of the February 14 incident.

"The fire affected a large area of the shell, rendering several pieces of equipment and systems – built specifically for environmental protection from the remains of the destroyed unit No. 4 – inoperable. Some systems have been destroyed, impacting further efforts to transform the Chornobyl NPP into an environmentally safe site," Korikov said.

Russian drone hits Chornobyl power unit

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

On February 16, International Atomic Energy Agency representatives inspected the Chornobyl shelter. They observed that the drone strike damaged the outer and inner shells of the arch, leaving a hole about 6 meters in diameter and damaging some equipment and electrical cables. However, the supporting beams were not significantly affected.

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

As of the morning of February 17, firefighting at the Chornobyl NPP, hit by a Russian drone on February 14, has been paused but then resumed.