Firefighting at Chornobyl NPP after Russian drone strike resumes

As of 10:00 a.m., firefighting operations have resumed. Three smoldering spots have been detected at the Chornobyl NPP, two groups of climbers are working there, and the third group is being fixed to partially open the shelter structures and extinguish the smoldering areas.

Specialists have laid working lines for five hoses.

Earlier, Ukraine's State Agency for Exclusion Zone Management reported that the firefighting will be paused.

“As of 07:00 a.m/, firefighting has been suspended, but this doesn’t mean the work is finished,” the report states.

Experts noted that no open smoldering areas are currently visible. The situation at Chornobyl NPP is being monitored using a drone equipped with a thermal imager.

The agency reported that six workers and two State Emergency Service units were on-site. The air temperature is -15°C. No worsening of radiation levels at the industrial area or the plant as a whole has been observed, and no radioactive emissions beyond established limits have been detected.

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.