New Russian Strike Could Completely Destroy Chernobyl Nuclear Plant, Director Warns

The protective structure of the Chernobyl nuclear plant's 4th block, which was damaged by a Russian strike at the beginning of 2025, remains extremely vulnerable, and a new Russian attack could completely obliterate it. This was reported to AFP by Chernobyl nuclear plant director Sergey Tarakanov.

According to him, the crash of a drone or an "Iskander" missile near the Chernobyl nuclear plant could have tragic consequences. Tarakanov warned that even an indirect strike could trigger seismic tremors that the sarcophagus might not withstand.

The remnants of the Chernobyl nuclear plant are covered by a steel and concrete radiation protective layer (sarcophagus), which was hastily constructed immediately after the 1986 disaster, as well as a high-tech external protective layer (New Safe Confinement, NSC), which was commissioned in 2019. It is also noted that a section of this new protective shield was seriously damaged by a Russian drone strike in February 2025, resulting in a major fire.