Operational and technical documentation agreed with the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine, and based on the conclusions of the state nuclear and radiation safety review, establishes the design service life of the Shelter Object’s localizing structure until 31 October 2029, with the possibility of extension subject to an appropriate safety justification. This extension is intended to support the safe preparation and dismantling of unstable structures. As of the reporting date, the Shelter Object’s localizing structure continues to perform its functions in accordance with the technological regulations governing the NSC-Shelter complex.

Following the drone strike of 14 February 2025 and the subsequent fire-fighting activities, the arch of the New Safe Confinement (NSC) – designed to ensure confinement of radioactive materials in the event of failure of the Shelter Object’s localizing structure – has lost its ability to fully maintain the leak-tightness of its internal volume. Nevertheless, the NSC’s protective envelope continues to partially fulfill its primary function, namely the ecological isolation of the destroyed unit of the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant from the environment.

As of today, work is underway to restore the tightness of the specified facility, the release of radioactive substances outside the NSC, exceeding those established by the relevant norms and operational documentation, has not been registered, the facility is in a controlled state.

At present, activities are underway to restore the leak-tightness of the NSC. No releases of radioactive substances to the environment exceeding the limits established by applicable regulations and operational documentation have been recorded. The facility remains in a controlled and stable condition.

No damage to the load-bearing structures of either the Shelter Object’s localizing structure or the NSC has been identified as a result of the drone strike on 14 February 2025 or the subsequent fire suppression efforts.

The equivalent dose rate (EDR) of gamma radiation at the ChNPP industrial site are within the established control levels. The automated radiation monitoring systems (ARMS) are operating in normal mode, with no exceedances of control levels detected.

Provided that all systems continue to operate within normal parameters and in the absence of external impacts (including those associated with hostilities or natural hazards), the risk of uncontrolled release of radioactive materials beyond the NSC is currently assessed as low.

The gamma radiation equivalent dose rates (EDR) across the industrial site remain within established control levels. The automated radiation monitoring systems are functioning normally, with no exceedances detected.

Supplementary information. A continuous presence mission of the International Atomic Energy Agency has been present at the site since January 2023, conducting independent monitoring of nuclear and radiation safety parameters. In November 2025, the IAEA carried out an additional comprehensive assessment of the NSC following the damage. The mission confirmed the loss of certain design functions (in particular, the confinement capability), while noting that the load-bearing structures and monitoring systems remained intact and that no radiological release had occurred. The IAEA has emphasized the need for urgent measures to restore the damaged structures and continues to provide technical support to ensure the long-term safety of the facility.

Serhii Tarakanov
Director General
State Specialised Enterprise “Chornobyl NPP”