The Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant has responded to Greenpeace’s statements regarding the risks of the sarcophagus collapsing
15 April 08:20
The Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant has responded to statements by experts from “Greenpeace Ukraine” regarding the risk of the sarcophagus at the plant collapsing. Chernobyl NPP employees have assured that the structure’s load-bearing elements are, in fact, undamaged. This was reported by the state-owned specialized enterprise “Chernobyl NPP” on Facebook, according to "Komersant Ukrainian"
The Chernobyl NPP’s official response came after statements by Greenpeace Ukraine experts, who reported in their report on the sarcophagus’s critical condition and the increasing risk of its collapse.
What Greenpeace Ukraine said
On April 14, experts from “Greenpeace Ukraine” reported in their report that the sarcophagus at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant is in a state of disrepair and requires urgent repair or dismantling.
The document notes that due to damage to the protective structure caused by a Russian strike, it is currently impossible to carry out this work. That is why, according to the organization’s assessment, the risk of the sarcophagus collapsing is increasing.
Greenpeace also stated that Russia’s war against Ukraine poses a direct threat to international efforts to repair the new safe confinement.
What experts say about the condition of the shelter
In the Greenpeace Ukraine report, engineer Eric Schmiemann, who worked at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant for many years and participated in the design and construction of the New Safe Confinement, emphasized that without urgent repairs, the risk of the sarcophagus collapsing increases significantly.
Sean Burney, a senior nuclear specialist at Greenpeace Ukraine, also stated that the strike by a Russian drone has increased the risk of the sarcophagus collapsing even before its safe dismantling.
What Chernobyl NPP said about the sarcophagus
The state-owned enterprise “Chernobyl NPP” explained that following the Russian drone attack in February 2025, the new safe confinement lost its ability to provide complete sealing.
At the same time, the plant emphasized that the protective shell continues to partially fulfill its main function—the ecological isolation of the fourth power unit, which was destroyed as a result of the accident.
Separately, Chernobyl NPP employees emphasized:
“No damage to the load-bearing structures of the containment structure of the ‘Shelter’ facility, the new safe confinement, was recorded as a result of the strike by a drone on February 14, 2025, or the consequences of firefighting efforts.”
Is there a risk of radioactive material leakage?
The Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant stated that provided all systems are operating normally, and in the absence of repeated attacks or other physical impacts, the risks of uncontrolled release of radioactive substances beyond the sarcophagus are currently minimal.
Thus, the plant assures that the situation remains under control, despite the damage caused by the drone strike.
What was the strike on the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant like?
As a reminder, on February 14, 2025, a Russian drone carrying a high-explosive warhead struck the shelter that protects the world from radiation from the destroyed fourth power unit of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant.
Following this, the condition of the protective structure once again became the focus of attention for both Ukrainian experts and international environmental organizations.
What the Chernobyl NPP director said earlier
Earlier, Chernobyl NPP Director Serhiy Tarakanov stated that the sarcophagus over the fourth power unit could collapse in the event of another strike by Russia.
Why the sarcophagus is so important
The sarcophagus and the new safe confinement are critical to the safety not only of Ukraine but of all of Europe, as they isolate the destroyed fourth reactor, where the worst nuclear disaster in history occurred.
The new safe confinement, costing $2.5 billion, was built in 2019 to prevent radiation leaks and facilitate the future dismantling of the reactor’s remains.
Russian occupation forces seized the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant at the start of the invasion in 2022 but later left the site. Since then, the exclusion zone has repeatedly been threatened by missile strikes and drone attacks.
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