Chernobyl is setting off alarms again because the New Safe Confinement (a structure created to isolate the remains of reactor 4) suffered significant damage after a drone attack last February.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has confirmed this, and although no immediate radiation leak has been detected, the scare has the world on edge. Almost 40 years have passed since 1986, and Chernobyl remains a place that fascinates and frightens many people.
What happened at the nuclear shelter
On February 14, a drone hit the roof of the New Safe Confinement, and as a result of the impact a hole opened that caused a fire in the outer cladding. That roof controls humidity and prevents the radioactive material inside from dispersing, and keep in mind it was designed to last at least 100 more years.
Did anything happen?
According to the IAEA report, the shelter temporarily lost its confinement capacity, which is precisely its reason for existing. The main columns held, yes, but the interior was left more exposed than it should be. It is not an immediate danger, but it is enough of a risk to be concerning.
And now what?
Although the plant is no longer operating, tons of highly radioactive material are still resting under that structure, and that is quite dangerous. That material requires constant isolation, daily monitoring, and maintenance. Obviously, any type of failure can cause internal degradation to accelerate, and spoiler, that is not good news.
Quick repairs, but provisional
After the attack, action was taken quickly and emergency repairs were made to stop immediate deterioration. The IAEA has recommended reinforcing humidity control to improve monitoring of possible corrosion that the structure may suffer. But although these measures are necessary, all systems need to be updated and improved so it does not happen again.
Chernobyl in the middle of war
Here lies the core of the issue, and that is that the biggest obstacle is not technical, it is geopolitical. Working on a damaged nuclear facility in a war affected area is a logistical and security nightmare, as you can imagine.
By 2026, new temporary repairs are expected to be carried out with international support, but a complete restoration will depend on something as non technical as military stability.
Energy is also in the crosshairs
The IAEA is also monitoring key electrical substations in Ukraine, because without stable electricity, control systems are seriously compromised. We are not talking about a new disaster, but we do need to stay alert because the warning is quite serious. Chernobyl is a wound that has not yet healed, and the more time passes, the more care it will require, like people do.
Memory, vigilance, and responsibility
Almost four decades later, Chernobyl still demands resources, cooperation, and support. This attack on the shelter reminds us that the nuclear legacy does not disappear with time.
Chernobyl cannot be a bargaining chip in any war, and nuclear safety knows no borders. Any negligence can have global and catastrophic consequences.
What happened in Chernobyl?
In 1986, a nuclear reactor exploded during a poorly planned and badly executed test at the Chernobyl power plant, in what was then the Soviet Union. The accident released an enormous amount of radiation that spread across Ukraine, Belarus, and much of Europe. Thousands of people were evacuated late, many others were exposed without information or protection, and dozens of workers and firefighters died in the months that followed.