After the strike by a Russian drone on the shelter of the 4th reactor block of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, radiation background levels remain within normal limits.
At the Chernobyl site, a reading of 0.57 µSv/h has been recorded, which does not exceed permissible values.
Monitoring is ongoing. The situation is under control, reports State Emergency Service of Ukraine.
According to initial assessments, the damage to the shelter is significant, stated President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky.
As reported by Kashтан NEWS, today, February 14, a Russian drone struck the new shelter constructed over the destroyed reactor of the 4th block.
The IAEA has also responded to the situation, stating that it has information regarding an explosion at Chernobyl.
“On the night of February 13 to 14, at approximately 01:50, the IAEA team at the Chernobyl site heard an explosion from the direction of the new safe confinement, which protects the remains of reactor No. 4 of the former Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, causing a fire. They were informed that a UAV crashed into the roof of the confinement,” the statement said.
BBC Ukraine notes:
“The fire at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant occurred on April 26, 1986. A few months after this major technological disaster of the 20th century, the 'Shelter' structure was built over the fourth reactor, which later became known as the 'Sarcophagus'. It was planned to serve for 30 years.
However, it quickly became evident that even the 'Sarcophagus', constructed from hundreds of thousands of tons of concrete and metal structures, was not fully airtight and developed cracks and gaps, which over time totaled more than a thousand square meters.
Thus, in 2007, after prolonged negotiations with European partners, the Ukrainian government, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and a consortium of French companies 'Novarka' signed an agreement to build a new shelter. The work was fully completed in 2019. As of now, the Chernobyl shelter is the largest movable land structure in the world.”