December 8, 2025
1 min read
Add Us On GoogleAdd SciAm
Chernobyl Nuclear Plant’s Protective Shield Has Been Damaged for Months
The site of the world’s worst nuclear disaster remains damaged, but so far, radiation levels outside the plant have not increased, according to officials
The “Elephant’s Foot” formed by the Chernobyl disaster.
Photo by Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
A protective shield at Ukraine’s Chernobyl power plant, the site of the world’s worst nuclear disaster, has been in disrepair for 10 months as a result of a Russian drone strike.
Officials from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Friday confirmed that the damage from the strike has not been fixed. IAEA officials said on Sunday, however, that radiation levels outside the nuclear plant appeared to be holding steady, suggesting radioactive material from inside the plant is not currently leeching into the surrounding environment.
No one is allowed to live within 1,000 square miles of the plant.
On supporting science journalism
If you’re enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.
The shield in question is a massive steel dome known as the New Safe Confinement that sits on top of Chernobyl’s Reactor No. 4. It was this reactor that exploded on April 26, 1986—and the catastrophe remains the worst nuclear accident in history.
Still today, there is a large mass of radioactive material underneath the reactor’s remains at the plant, known as the “Elephant’s Foot.” Initially, Soviet engineers encased the damaged reactor in a concrete and lead sarcophagus, before it was covered again in 2016 by the steel dome. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 derailed a plan to clean up the plant, and officials are now working to patch the shield as best they can.
“Timely and comprehensive restoration remains essential to prevent further degradation and ensure long-term nuclear safety,” the director general of the IAEA said in a statement.
It’s Time to Stand Up for Science
If you enjoyed this article, I’d like to ask for your support. Scientific American has served as an advocate for science and industry for 180 years, and right now may be the most critical moment in that two-century history.
I’ve been a Scientific American subscriber since I was 12 years old, and it helped shape the way I look at the world. SciAm always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of awe for our vast, beautiful universe. I hope it does that for you, too.
If you subscribe to Scientific American, you help ensure that our coverage is centered on meaningful research and discovery; that we have the resources to report on the decisions that threaten labs across the U.S.; and that we support both budding and working scientists at a time when the value of science itself too often goes unrecognized.
In return, you get essential news, captivating podcasts, brilliant infographics, can’t-miss newsletters, must-watch videos, challenging games, and the science world’s best writing and reporting. You can even gift someone a subscription.
There has never been a more important time for us to stand up and show why science matters. I hope you’ll support us in that mission.
