France allocates €10 mln to repair Chornobyl NPP shelter damaged by Russian drone
Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant (Archive photo: Getty Images)
France has contributed €10 million to the Chornobyl Fund of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). This will enable continued funding for repair work on the protective shelter over Chornobyl's fourth reactor, which was damaged by a Russian drone, the press service of Ukraine's Ministry of Finance reports.
According to reports, France's contribution was announced during a meeting of the Assembly of Donors of the Chornobyl International Cooperation Account.
The contribution agreement was signed in London by Pierre Heilbronn, the Special Envoy of the President of France for Ukraine's economic assistance and recovery, and Mark Bowman, EBRD Vice President for Policy and Partnerships.
"Your contribution is critically important for ensuring nuclear safety not only in Ukraine but globally. It is not just support for technical solutions, but an investment in global stability. We highly value our bilateral cooperation with France, a partner that has consistently supported Ukraine in its most difficult times," said Ukraine's Deputy Minister of Finance, Olha Zykova.
She emphasized the need to shift from a reactive approach to a systemic, long-term strategy for ensuring safety at the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant.
EBRD Chornobyl Fund
Established by the EBRD in 2020, the International Chornobyl Cooperation Account supports engagement with donors to address the complex challenges related to Chornobyl.
Its goals include assisting Ukraine in dismantling the unstable structures of the shelter over Chornobyl's fourth reactor, carrying out repair work to ensure the safe operation of the new protective confinement, and managing radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel.
Since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, the scope of the fund has expanded to include efforts aimed at restoring nuclear safety and security at the Chornobyl site.
Given the extent of the damage to the new shelter over the fourth reactor, the cost of restoration is expected to be substantial and far exceed currently available resources. Total expenses for fully restoring the New Safe Confinement could surpass €100 million.
As of now, the fund holds over €19 million. In total, the International Chornobyl Cooperation Account has raised more than €26 million since its inception.
Chornobyl strike on February 14
On February 14, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that Russian forces had struck the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant with a drone carrying a high-explosive warhead. He immediately noted that the damage to the shelter was significant.
Photos of the aftermath of the drone strike on the facility were later released.
The emergency at Chornobyl was not fully contained until March 7.
Following the Russian drone attacks, more than 300 holes were discovered in the Chornobyl sarcophagus. The IAEA reported that no radioactive material was released as a result of the strike.
