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Chornobyl’s Safety Confinement to Be Fully Restored by 2026 After Russian Drone Attack
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![Photo of Cyril Barabaltchouk]( "Photo of Cyril Barabaltchouk")
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Restoration work on the damaged confinement structure at the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant (CNPP) is set to be completed by the end of 2026, following a Russian drone attack in February 2025, Sergey Kondratenko, deputy technical director for infrastructure at the CNPP told DW on December 9.
The restoration is funded through a grant agreement between Ukraine and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), with the EBRD bringing in experts from French companies Bouygues Travaux Publics and VINCI Construction Grands Projets to assess and repair the damage.
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Russian drone attack caused significant damage to the New Safe Confinement (NSC), compromising its ability to function as originally designed. The fire that resulted from the attack destroyed the hydro-insulation and damaged the membrane that ensured the airtight seal of the structure.
In response, emergency services created 130 openings in the outer shell of the confinement, allowing moisture to penetrate the structure and potentially cause corrosion to the metal supports.
Despite these issues, radiation levels at Chornobyl remain stable. The State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine has prohibited any scheduled work that could result in radiation hazards. Since February 14, radiation levels have not exceeded control limits, and there have been no unacceptable emissions, DW wrote.
The dismantling of the old sarcophagus, which is covered by the NSC, has been postponed until the airtightness of the new structure is restored. The process of removing unstable parts of the old sarcophagus will take at least eight years, but can only begin once the required project specifications for the NSC are met.
Previously, Ukraine’s General Staff announced that radiation reconnaissance units of the Armed Forces are operating inside the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone to monitor safety conditions near the sarcophagus covering Reactor No. 4.
According to Defense Blog, specialists from the 704th Separate Brigade of Radiation, Chemical, and Biological (RCB) Defense are conducting detailed inspections of radiation levels, collecting samples, and documenting findings at the site of the protective structure.
