U.N. nuclear agency returns to Chernobyl to check damage from recent Russian drone attack

The International Atomic Energy Agency is sending technicians to the site of Ukraine’s Chernobyl nuclear power plant to assess the current condition of an arch-shaped steel structure that was erected over the damaged reactor following the 1986 Chernobyl disaster.

The protective shell, known as the New Safe Confinement, was erected in 2016. It was struck by a Russian drone in February 2025, authorities said.

“While February’s drone strike did not lead to any release of radioactive material, it caused significant structural damage, affecting the NSC’s designed confinement function and projected lifetime,” IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said Thursday in a statement.

Russia denied the drone strike and blamed it on Ukraine, saying it was part of a scheme to derail future peace negotiations.

The drone strike caused a fire that was extinguished, but later revealed extensive damage to the NSC, including about 330 openings in the outer layer. Despite the damage, radiation levels at the site have remained normal.

The IAEA has stated that the NSC needs extensive repair, including some who said the shell, which was intended to shield Chernobyl’s damaged reactor for 100 years, should be replaced.

“During the mission, the IAEA team will review the measures currently in place to mitigate risks and discuss the plant’s plans to restore the NSC’s functionality and address any potential nuclear safety concerns,” Mr. Grossi said.

The IAEA said electricity output at Ukraine’s three operating nuclear power plants, Khmelnytskyy, Rivne, and South Ukraine, has largely returned to normal after last week’s military attacks on the electrical grid.

“Nearly all power units are now operating at full capacity, with only one unit remaining at reduced power,” authorities said. “Additionally, the high-voltage power lines lost during the attacks have all been restored.”