Chernobyl Faces Catastrophic Collapse Risk as Drone Strike Repairs Stall
Greenpeace has issued a severe warning that the protective structure surrounding the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine risks catastrophic collapse due to stalled repairs following a Russian drone strike. The incident, which occurred in February 2025, degraded the New Safe Confinement (NSC) dome, causing it to lose primary safety functions, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Although no permanent damage was found to load-bearing structures, comprehensive restoration is deemed essential. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot estimated repair costs at approximately €500 million. Experts caution that failure to stabilize the inner sarcophagus could release four tonnes of highly radioactive dust and fuel pellets into the environment. This potential environmental disaster looms just days before the 40th anniversary of the 1986 Chernobyl tragedy. Plant director Sergiy Tarakanov and Greenpeace specialists emphasize that radioactive particles do not recognize borders, posing a transnational threat. Ongoing Russian attacks continue to impede critical deconstruction and repair efforts, heightening the risk of an uncontrolled collapse and significant radiation leakage across Ukraine, Belarus, and beyond.
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Chernobyl Faces Catastrophic Collapse Risk as Drone Strike Repairs Stall
Greenpeace has issued a severe warning that the protective structure surrounding the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine risks catastrophic collapse due to stalled repairs following a Russian drone strike. The incident, which occurred in February 2025, degraded the New Safe Confinement (NSC) dome, causing it to lose primary safety functions, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Although no permanent damage was found to load-bearing structures, comprehensive restoration is deemed essential. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot estimated repair costs at approximately €500 million. Experts caution that failure to stabilize the inner sarcophagus could release four tonnes of highly radioactive dust and fuel pellets into the environment. This potential environmental disaster looms just days before the 40th anniversary of the 1986 Chernobyl tragedy. Plant director Sergiy Tarakanov and Greenpeace specialists emphasize that radioactive particles do not recognize borders, posing a transnational threat. Ongoing Russian attacks continue to impede critical deconstruction and repair efforts, heightening the risk of an uncontrolled collapse and significant radiation leakage across Ukraine, Belarus, and beyond.
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