Warnings of a disaster at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant due to the bombing
International concerns are mounting over the safety of Chernobyl nuclear power plant , amid serious warnings from Ukrainian officials about the potential for a new radiation disaster as a result of ongoing military operations. The plant's director, Sergei Tarakanov, warned that a direct Russian strike could cause the collapse of the radiation shelter, raising the specter of the 1986 disaster.
nuclear bunker collapse scenario
In statements to AFP, Tarakanov explained that the greatest danger lies not only in the destruction of the shut-down reactors, but also in the potential collapse of the old internal structure known as the "sarcophagus," which was hastily constructed following the explosion of the fourth reactor in the 1980s. He pointed out that the impact of an Iskander missile or a drone in the vicinity of the plant could cause a "small earthquake" sufficient to destabilize this fragile structure.
The Ukrainian official stressed that "no one can guarantee that the shelter will remain standing in the event of violent tremors in the region," emphasizing that this scenario represents the greatest threat to environmental security in the region and Europe.
Damage to the "new safety barrier"
Although the station is protected by a modern, highly sophisticated outer casing called the New Safety Shield (NSC), this shield has sustained significant damage. Last February, a Russian drone strike caused a massive fire that damaged the outer cladding of the steel structure.
According to the station's management, the shield has lost some of its primary functions and insulating capabilities, and the technical team needs approximately three to four years to restore the shield's technical properties to their previous state. Although the large gap was covered with a protective screen, hundreds of small holes made by firefighters during the firefighting efforts still need to be repaired.
Position of the International Atomic Energy Agency
For its part, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), after an inspection mission it conducted at the beginning of the month, confirmed that the shelter had lost some of its basic security functions, but reassured the international community that the supporting structures and monitoring systems had not suffered permanent damage, and that radiation levels at the site remained "stable and within normal limits.".
Historical background and importance of the site
These warnings are of paramount importance given the site's history; on April 26, 1986, the Chernobyl plant witnessed the worst nuclear disaster in human history when reactor number 4 exploded, releasing a radioactive cloud that blanketed large parts of Europe. Since then, the site has been under strict international control and complex containment measures to prevent the leakage of remaining radioactive materials.
It is worth noting that Russian forces had seized control of the station at the beginning of the war in February 2022, before withdrawing from it several weeks later, making the area a constant flashpoint and a source of global concern about the use of nuclear facilities as bargaining chips in the military conflict.
