(photo IAEA / X)

A russian drone strike has impacted the New Safe Confinement (NSC) covering the damaged Unit 4 reactor at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, according to a report released by the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine (SNRIU) on Friday, February 14th. The strike, which occurred at 1:54 AM on February 14th, caused damage to the sarcophagus and equipment within the crane maintenance garage.

SNRIU experts are currently evaluating the extent of the damage. The agency’s report stated that a further assessment is needed to determine the strike’s impact on the overall functionality of the NSC. Despite the attack, SNRIU confirmed that radiation levels at the Chernobyl site remained stable as of that morning.

The New Safe Confinement, a massive protective structure, was completed in 2019 as part of a program aimed at transforming the “Shelter” facility into an environmentally safe system. Its construction was funded through the Chernobyl International Cooperation Account, managed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).

Earlier on February 14th, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reported that a russian drone carrying a high-explosive warhead had damaged the roof of the sarcophagus encasing the destroyed fourth reactor. He also mentioned that a fire broke out as a result of the strike but had since been extinguished, adding that the damage to the shelter was substantial. The State Emergency Service has confirmed that radiation levels are within normal limits and that monitoring is ongoing.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) later released a statement confirming the explosion at the Chernobyl plant and the resulting damage to the reactor’s protective structure, as well as the fire, but did not specify the origin of the drone.