Chornobyl NPP director: Sarcophagus may not hold even if Russian missile hits nearby
Photo: Russia struck the Chornobyl NPP sarcophagus with a drone (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
There is a risk that the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) sarcophagus could collapse in the event of a new Russian strike. A direct hit on the protective structure is not even necessary for this to happen, states Chornobyl NPP Director Serhii Tarakanov, according to France24.
In an interview with AFP, Serhii Tarakanov noted that the full restoration of the new safe confinement over Chornobyl NPP’s Unit 4 could take three to four years.
"If a missile or drone hits it directly, or even falls somewhere nearby, for example, an Iskander, God forbid, it will cause a mini-earthquake in the areaю No one can guarantee that the shelter facility will remain standing after that. That is the main threat," said the Chornobyl NPP director.
He clarified that after the Russian attack, the sarcophagus lost several of its primary functions. However, according to Tarakanov, radiation levels at the site remain "stable and within normal limits."
The opening caused by the drone strike was covered with a protective screen, but, as the Chornobyl NPP director explained, approximately 300 smaller openings made by firefighters while extinguishing the fire still need to be sealed.
Damage to the Chornobyl NPP sarcophagus
On the night of February 14, 2025, a Russian strike drone carrying a high-explosive warhead hit the protective structure over the destroyed fourth reactor of the Chornobyl NPP, causing severe damage to the outer protective covering and a fire that was later extinguished.
This structure, known as the New Safe Confinement (NSC), was designed to prevent the release of radiation following the 1986 disaster and was significantly affected.
As a result, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported that the sarcophagus lost its primary functions, although the support structures and monitoring systems did not suffer permanent damage.
