Firefighting teams have resumed operations at the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant after three additional fires were discovered following a Russian drone attack on February 14, Ukraine’s State Agency for Exclusion Zone Management reported on February 17.
Emergency crews are working under extreme conditions to contain the blazes.
Two teams of climbers are inside the site tackling smoldering hotspots, while a third team is securing the area to partially open the shelter structure for fire suppression efforts. The situation is also being monitored by drones equipped with thermal imaging.
A total of 91 personnel and 18 emergency vehicles from Ukraine’s State Emergency Service have been deployed to the scene.
Deliberate Strike on a Nuclear Hazard
The Russian drone attack struck the New Safe Confinement (NSC) structure, built to contain radiation from Reactor No. 4, the site of the 1986 Chornobyl disaster — one of the worst nuclear catastrophes in history.
The Shahed suicide drone impact caused damage to the outer shell of the confinement and struck a crane maintenance garage, raising fears of radioactive leakage. Ukraine’s Security Service found drone debris both inside and around the containment structure, with experts confirming that Russia deliberately targeted the site.
The NSC, a massive steel structure, was designed to prevent further radiation leaks from the deteriorating Soviet-era sarcophagus built over the reactor. Standing 109 meters tall and 257 meters long, it remains the largest movable metal structure in the world.
Chornobyl’s chief engineer, Oleksandr Titarchuk, has confirmed the risk of radioactive leakage, heightening international concerns over Russia’s attacks on nuclear infrastructure.
This latest escalation follows previous Russian attacks on Ukraine’s power grid and energy facilities. Ukraine has urged the international community to respond swiftly, calling Russia’s actions “nuclear terrorism.”
