This mission is being conducted at the request of Ukraine and was prompted by the attack carried out by a Russian strike UAV equipped with a high-explosive charge. The attack damaged the outer and inner claddings of the New Safe Confinement arch, as well as a number of internal structures, components, and systems important for the safety and functions of the NSC, which were designed to support the transformation of the Shelter Object into an environmentally safe system.

The objective of the mission is to perform an independent assessment of the current safety condition of the facility.

‘We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the IAEA for its constant readiness to assist Ukraine and for supporting the Chornobyl NPP at this critical time. Your presence at the ChNPP site today is a sign of solidarity with Ukraine at a time when we are facing russian aggression’, said the Director General of the SSE ChNPP at the beginning of the meeting.

The attack took place on 14 February 2025. A fire lasted for ten days and was extinguished thanks to the exceptional efforts of the State Emergency Service and Chornobyl NPP personnel. Since the moment of impact, Chornobyl NPP specialists have developed and implemented urgent emergency measures aimed at sealing the opening created in the arch by the Russian combat drone, in order to limit the effects of autumn and winter weather on NSC systems and mechanisms.

However, the overall condition of the facility requires a comprehensive expert evaluation. The assessment is being carried out in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding between the IAEA and the Government of Ukraine, signed on 10 July 2025 in Rome. Under this document, the IAEA provides support for the recovery of the NSC at the Chornobyl NPP.