The fallout shelter at Chernobyl could be destroyed by a Russian attack. The warning of the director of the Nuclear Power Plant
A direct attack by the Russian army could cause the internal anti-radiation shelter of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, currently shut down, to be breached, warned the director of the plant, Serghii Tarakanov. He estimated it would take at least three to four years to fully repair the damaged exterior of the facility.
The repair would take at least 3-4 years. PHOTO: Profimedia
“If a missile or a drone hits it directly or falls somewhere nearby, for example an Iskander (missile), God forbid, it would cause a mini-earthquake in the area,” said Tarakanov in an interview given to the AFP agency, quoted by News.ro.
According to him, no one can guarantee that the protective structure will withstand such an impact. “That's the main threat,” emphasized the director of the plant.
The remains of the former nuclear power plant are protected by two structures: an internal steel and concrete sarcophagus, hastily built after the 1986 nuclear disaster, and a modern external structure called New Safe Confinement (NSC).
The NSC shelter was severely damaged in February following a Russian drone attack, which caused a massive fire in the outer shell of the metal structure. “Our NSC has lost several of its main functions. And we understand that we will need at least three or four years to restore these functions,” Tarakanov explained.
The director stated that the radiation level in the area remains “stable and within normal limits”. However, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) warned in early December that the shelter had lost its essential safety functions, particularly containment, even though the support structures and surveillance systems had not suffered permanent damage.
The hole caused by the drone impact has been temporarily covered with a protective screen, but according to the plant manager, about 300 small holes made by firefighters during the firefighting intervention still need to be plugged.
The Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant was occupied by the Russian military at the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, but Russian troops withdrew after a few weeks.
