The attack by a Russian drone has damaged the outer layer of the New Safe Confinement (NSC) at the Shelter of Chornobyl NPP’s reactor unit 4. An inspection of the inner layer is currently underway.
According to Ukrinform, this was reported on the IAEA website.
“The IAEA team could see a breach of the outer layer of the NSC that occurred following the detonation. Supplementary information from Ukraine’s regulatory body received this morning confirmed that the outer cladding of the NSC arch sustained damage, and investigations are ongoing to determine the status of the inner cladding,” the statement reads.
The IAEA team stationed at Chornobyl heard the explosion at 1:50 local time and saw smoke and fire from their dormitory rooms after the drone strike on the NSC. Within minutes, firefighters and emergency vehicles arrived to extinguish the flames, which were intermittently visible for several hours.
“Radiation levels inside and outside the NSC building remain normal and stable, the IAEA team was informed. There were no reports of casualties,” the statement adds.
Separately, the IAEA noted that the scheduled rotation of agency personnel at the occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) was canceled this week. Director General Rafael Grossi is in contact with both sides to ensure the safe passage of IAEA teams as soon as possible.
As reported by Ukrinform, on February 14, a Russian attack drone equipped with a high-explosive warhead struck the Shelter structure over the Chornobyl NPP damaged reactor unit 4.
The Shelter, also known as the ‘Sarcophagus’, is an isolation structure built after the 1986 explosion of reactor init 4 at Chornobyl NPP.
Source: Drone damages outer layer of Chornobyl NPP confinement structure – IAEA
