FLASH NEWS
Chernobyl in danger! UN agency: Radiation shield lost function
2025-12-07 15:45:09 / BOTA
A shield over the Chernobyl nuclear reactor in Ukraine can no longer perform its primary function after a drone attack was recorded earlier this year, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Inspectors have found that the massive structure, placed over the reactor after the 1986 disaster, has lost its primary function, including its "isolation capacity."
In February, Ukraine accused Russia of targeting the plant, a claim the Kremlin has denied.
The International Atomic Energy Agency, a United Nations agency, has said repairs are "essential" to "prevent further degradation" of the shelter.
However, environmental expert Jim Smith told the British broadcaster BBC that "there is no reason to panic."
According to him, the risk is "low" because the contaminated dust is blocked by a thick concrete "sarcophagus", which is covered by other shields.
As a result of a 1986 explosion at Chernobyl, a large amount of radioactive material leaked into the air, triggering a health emergency across much of Europe.
In response, the then Soviet Union built a sarcophagus – a stone coffin – over the nuclear reactor.
However, that shield had a lifespan of 30 years, prompting the need for an additional shield to prevent the leakage of radioactive material in the next 100 years.
The UN agency said a team conducted an assessment of the center last week after it suffered “heavy damage” from the drone strike. The attack resulted in a fire on the exterior of the steel structure.
Inspectors have said that no irreparable damage has been done to the structure or monitoring systems and that some repairs to the roof have already been made.
But the head of this UN agency, Rafael Grossi, said that "timely restoration continues to be essential to prevent degradation and guarantee nuclear safety in the long term."
Since early December, the UN agency has been conducting assessments of Ukraine's energy infrastructure as the country continues to defend itself against Russian invasion.
Overnight, Russia launched airstrikes on the city of Kremenchuk, a major industrial center in the heart of Ukraine.
In addition to Chernobyl, the International Atomic Energy Agency has also inspected electrical substations related to nuclear safety.
"They are absolutely essential for providing the electricity that all nuclear power plants need for reactor cooling and other safety systems. They are also necessary for distributing electricity to households and to industry," Grossi said, among other things.
The war in Ukraine began on February 24, 2022. Russian President Vladimir Putin calls the war a "special military operation" to demilitarize Ukraine.
The West has responded to Russia by hitting the country's economy with harsh sanctions.
As a result of the war, thousands of people have died and millions more have been displaced from their homes./ REL
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