Drone attack from Russia How just one drone damaged the entire Chernobyl shell
The Chernobyl protective shield was considered a technical marvel - but a Russian drone has now severely damaged it. Experts warn of long-term risks, while it is unclear how the repair is to be financed.
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- A Russian Shahed-136 drone damaged the protective shield over Chernobyl reactor 4 on February 14.
- Considerable repairs are now necessary.
- The attack caused a week-long fire and damaged around half of the northern section of the hull.
- Experts are debating whether a temporary repair is possible or whether the entire protective shield needs to be replaced at a cost of hundreds of millions of dollars.
A huge protective shield, built to last forever - and now it lies in ruins. "The world's largest moving structure - hit by a $20,000 drone", headlines the New York Times about the attack on the Chernobyl reactor's protective shield.
What was considered a technical masterpiece is now severely damaged: a Russian Shahed-136 drone tore a hole in the 40,000-ton steel shell on February 14. Ukraine speaks of a targeted attack, while the Kremlin rejects any responsibility.
The structure, which was pushed over the damaged reactor 4 in 2016, was financed by 45 countries to the tune of 1.7 billion dollars. "We thought about earthquakes, tornadoes and extreme weather. But not war," says 78-year-old civil engineer Eric Schmieman, one of the project's lead consultants. Now the engineers are facing a challenge they never expected.
Fire and invisible danger
The drone attack sparked a fire that smouldered for almost three weeks. Rescue workers had to punch holes in the outer shell to extinguish the flames - exposing the entire structure to further damage. On March 7, Ukraine declared the fire extinguished, but around half of the northern section of the structure was damaged. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed "significant damage" that requires extensive repairs.
There is still no increased radiation exposure outside the exclusion zone, but the future of the shield is uncertain. Experts warn that corrosion could set in. "Now the Russians have basically blown a hole in it - physically and metaphorically," says Greenpeace expert Shaun Burnie. The IAEA considers the containment function of the hull to be compromised.
Repair or demolition? Million-dollar question unresolved
The damage could delay the planned dismantling of the reactor by years. According to Greenpeace, the entire shield may have to be removed and replaced - a mammoth financial and technical project. "A complete restoration is practically impossible," says Ukrainian engineer Artem Siryi. How much would it cost? Possibly hundreds of millions of dollars.
Schmieman suggests a pragmatic solution: "First of all, temporarily cover the holes to contain the corrosion - something like insulating tape for steel hulls." Whether that will be enough remains questionable. Ukraine has high hopes for drones - this time as helpers. "Perhaps small drones can inspect the damage from the inside and even help with repairs," says Schmieman.
Chernobyl remains a trouble spot
More drones circle over the exclusion zone almost every night. "The sound of their engines is now familiar to us," says Siryi.
The attack on the protective shield shows that even a nuclear power plant that has been shut down for decades is still a pawn in geopolitical tensions. While the world waits for a solution, one uncomfortable truth remains: the radioactive threat from Chernobyl is far from over.
The editor wrote this article with the help of AI.
