On Friday, February 14, 2025, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that during the night, a Russian loitering munition carrying a fragmentation-explosive warhead struck the outer sarcophagus of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant (the so-called New Safe Confinement, commonly known as the Ark), which protects Reactor No. 4, destroyed in the 1986 disaster. The incident was confirmed by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Photos: State Emergency Service of Ukraine, IAEA
“Last night, a Russian attack drone with a high-explosive warhead struck the shelter protecting the world from radiation at the destroyed 4th power unit of the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant.
This shelter was built by Ukraine together with other countries of Europe and the world, together with America – all those committed to real security for humanity. The only country in the world that attacks such sites, occupies nuclear power plants, and wages war without any regard for the consequences is today’s Russia. This is a terrorist threat to the entire world.
The shelter at the Chornobyl NPP was damaged by this drone. The fire has been extinguished. As of now, radiation levels have not increased and are being constantly monitored. According to initial assessments, the damage to the shelter is significant.
Every night, Russia carries out such attacks on Ukraine’s infrastructure and cities. Russia continues to expand its army and shows no change in its deranged, anti-human state rhetoric. This means that Putin is definitely not preparing for negotiations — he is preparing to continue deceiving the world. That is why there must be unified pressure from all who value life – pressure on the aggressor. Russia must be held accountable for its actions,” – announced the Ukrainian president, publishing photos of the damage and a video recording from the power plant’s surveillance system.
Surveillance video / Source: Volodymyr Zelenskyy via X
A statement was issued by the State Emergency Service of Ukraine:
“After the Russian drone strike on the shelter of Chernobyl NPP’s Unit 4, radiation levels remain within normal limits. At the Chernobyl industrial site, a level of 0.57 μSv/h has been recorded, which does not exceed permissible values.”
Радіаційний фон у нормі!
Після удару російського дрона по укриттю 4-го енергоблока ЧАЕС показники радіаційного фону залишаються в межах норми. На проммайданчику ЧАЕС зафіксовано 0,57 мкЗв/год, що не перевищує допустимих значень.
Моніторинг триває. Ситуація під контролем. pic.twitter.com/vBU7aB8iHp— DSNS.GOV.UA (@SESU_UA) February 14, 2025
The incident was confirmed by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA):
“The IAEA team based at the site – who heard the explosion at 01:50am local time followed by smoke and associated fire visible from their dormitory rooms – were informed by Ukraine that a drone had struck the New Safe Confinement (NSC), a large structure built to prevent any radioactive release from the damaged reactor unit 4 and to protect it from any external hazard.
Fire safety personnel and vehicles arrived at the scene within minutes to extinguish the blaze, which still could be seen intermittently for several hours afterwards.
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.
Radiation levels inside and outside the NSC building remain normal and stable, the IAEA team was informed. There were no reports of casualties.
Coming soon after a recent increase in military activity near Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), Director General Grossi said it once again demonstrated that nuclear safety remains under constant threat for as long as the conflict continues.
‘There is no room for complacency, and the IAEA remains on high alert,’ he said. ‘I once again call for maximum military restraint around Ukraine’s nuclear sites.‘”
According to new information, a Geran/Shahed drone struck the Ark’s casing at a height of 87 meters at 2:02 AM local time.
According to a statement from the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, on the night of February 14, Russia launched 133 Geran/Shahed-family drones and decoy UAVs over Ukrainian territory. Ukrainian air defense shot down 73 of them, while 58 others failed to reach their targets. The attacks took place in the Kyiv, Sumy, Chernihiv, Odesa, and Kharkiv regions. In the Odesa area, port infrastructure and an inactive recreational facility were damaged.
У ніч на 14 лютого 2025 року (із 19.30 13 лютого) противник атакував 133-ма ударними БпЛА типу Shahed і безпілотниками-імітаторами.
ЗБИТО 73 ВОРОЖИХ БПЛА, 58 БЕЗПІЛОТНИКІВ – НЕ ДОСЯГЛИ ЦІЛЕЙ (ЛОКАЦІЙНО ВТРАЧЕНІ). pic.twitter.com/ydGMlFyqL3
— Генеральний штаб ЗСУ (@GeneralStaffUA) February 14, 2025
The New Safe Confinement was built by the French company Novarka. Construction began in September 2010. In November 2016, the partially completed structure was moved on rails over the Sarcophagus, which had been built by the Russians following the April 26, 1986 disaster. The initial plan was to complete construction by 2012, but the project was ultimately finished in December 2018. After final testing, the Ark was put into operation on July 3, and on July 10, 2019, the protective structure was officially handed over to the Ukrainian government. The construction was financed entirely from non-Ukrainian funds: the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) contributed 190 million EUR, the European Union allocated 110 million EUR, the United States provided 85.5 million EUR, Poland also contributed 1.5 million EUR toward the project.
External damage to the casing
Internal damage to the casing
Remains of the piston engine powering the Geran/Shahed