The Chornobyl NPP has received another shipment of humanitarian aid from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) as part of the medical assistance program for operational personnel of Ukrainian Nuclear Power Plants. This is furniture for arranging inter-shift rest and relaxation areas for the Chornobyl NPP personnel.
This aid is intended to improve the rest conditions for personnel who have been working on a shift rotation basis since June 2022.
At a critical time for Ukraine’s energy sector which has been under continuous attack since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, and in response to the intelligence reports on potential Russian strikes against Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, on 23 January 2026, First Vice Prime Minister – Minister of Energy of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal and IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi held a joint virtual meeting with participation of the heads of Ukrainian nuclear power plants and the leaders of IAEA missions deployed at these facilities. The meeting focused on assessing threats to nuclear safety, coordinating protective measures, and strengthening cooperation in the context of ongoing Russian aggression.
During the meeting, the Minister of Energy expressed gratitude to the IAEA for inspections at Ukrainian NPPs, constructive dialogue, and systematic support, as well as expressed hope for continued close cooperation and the Agency’s leadership in ensuring compliance with international nuclear safety requirements.
The aggressor continues its energy terrorism against Ukraine. In particular, on the night of 20 January 2026, during a massive missile and drone attack, energy infrastructure components that provide power to Chornobyl NPP facilities were attacked.
We emphasize once again that such actions are absolutely unacceptable and grossly violate fundamental principles of nuclear and radiation safety. The potential threat from such attacks extends beyond Ukraine to the entire European continent.
Today, on the Day of Honouring the Participants in the Liquidation of the Consequences of the Chornobyl Accident, commemorative events were held on the Chornobyl NPP site to honour the heroes who risked their lives to overcome the consequences of one of the largest man-made disasters in human history. This day, established by the Decree of the President of Ukraine dated 10 November 2006, annually recalls the feat of the liquidators who in 1986 stood in the way of the radiation threat.
The accident at the Chornobyl NPP on 26 April 1986 led to the release of a massive amount of radioactive substances, which affected the health of millions of people and the environment in Ukraine, Belarus, Russia, and other European countries. Liquidators – firefighters, military personnel, engineers, and ordinary citizens – worked under conditions of extreme risk, constructing the “sarcophagus” over the destroyed reactor, decontaminating the territory, and evacuating the population. Many of them paid for this with their health or their lives.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) mission, which visited the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant last week, documented the consequences of the russian drone attack on the Arch of the New Safe Confinement (NSC).
The attack, that took place on 14 February 2025, caused damage to the integrity of the NSC's outer cladding and a prolonged fire, which significantly damaged the Arch's inner sealing membrane.