Overview
- Greenpeace, in a report Tuesday, said repairs have not fully restored the new enclosure’s ability to contain radioactive material at Chernobyl.
- The group warned that an uncontrolled collapse of the old internal sarcophagus could release radioactivity into the environment.
- Greenpeace estimates about four tonnes of highly radioactive dust and fuel fragments remain inside the sarcophagus, creating cross-border danger if dispersed.
- The group urged dismantling unstable elements to prevent a collapse, yet continuing strikes over the site have stalled safe work and the plant director said even a rocket 200 meters away could shake the structures like an earthquake.
- The modern metal arch built in 2016 was pierced in February 2025 in a strike Ukraine blames on Russia, and France’s foreign minister in March put restoration at about €500 million.