The Ukrainian government is seeking solutions to repair the containment vessel at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, which has been damaged by a Russian drone attack, as reported by Reuters.
Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources Svitlana Hrynchuk discussed the ongoing efforts during the inauguration of a 0.8MW solar power facility at the site.
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Ukraine is collaborating with experts and international institutions to evaluate the best methods to restore the containment vessel, also known as the arch.
Hrynchuk stated: “Unfortunately, after the attack, the arch partially lost its functionality. And now, I think, in May, we will have the results of the analysis that we are currently conducting.”
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, scientific institutions and companies that installed the arch in 2019 are all participating in the analysis.
The arch was erected to cover the original sarcophagus that was rapidly constructed after the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster to contain the leaking radiation.
Hrynchuk added: “We are actively working on this […]. We, of course, need to restore the arch so that there are no leaks under any circumstances, because ensuring nuclear and radiation safety is the main task.”
The russian drone attack created a significant hole in the new containment structure’s outer cover and exploded inside.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova labelled the incident at Chernobyl “a provocation”.
Hrynchuk also highlighted the significance of the newly inaugurated solar power facility, which is essential for maintaining power supply to the disused station and marks a step towards promoting renewable energy in the exclusion zone.
“We have been saying for many years that the exclusion zone needs to be transformed into a zone of renewal,” Hrynchuk stated, underscoring Ukraine’s effort to promote renewable energy projects in the area.
In February 2025, Ukraine’s parliament approved legislation allowing the state nuclear operator to purchase two Russian-built nuclear reactors from Bulgaria.
