The director of the Chernobyl power plant warns that a Russian attack could severely damage the radiation shelter.

Serghii Tarakanov, the director of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, stated that a Russian attack, such as a missile or a drone, could cause a collapse of the plant's anti-radiation shelter, which is currently shut down. He emphasized that, in the case of a direct impact, the area could experience a "mini-earthquake." Complete repair of the damaged outer shell will take between three and four years.

The shelter, known as "New Safe Confinement," was severely damaged in a drone attack in February, and radiation levels remain stable. Tarakanov mentioned that the shelter has lost essential isolation functions, but there is no permanent damage to the supporting structures. The Russian army captured the plant at the beginning of the invasion in February 2022, but later withdrew.