Greenpeace warns of potential 'catastrophic' Chernobyl collapse

Email: online@newsofbahrain.com

CHORNOBYL: Greenpeace issued a stark warning Tuesday regarding the potential collapse of the internal radiation shell at the defunct Chernobyl nuclear power station. The environmental organization cautioned that the structural integrity of the ‘sarcophagus’ , the inner steel-and-concrete shelter built hastily after the 1986 disaster is severely compromised, posing a risk of a massive radioactivity release.

A new report released ahead of the disaster's 40th anniversary highlights that the New Safe Confinement (NSC), a high-tech outer shell designed to contain the site, was damaged by a Russian strike in 2025. This breach has prevented the NSC from functioning as designed. Experts warn that the sarcophagus currently holds four tons of highly radioactive dust and fuel pellets; an uncontrolled collapse could scatter these particles into the environment.

The ongoing war in Ukraine continues to impede essential repair and deconstruction work. Plant officials noted that even a near-miss missile strike could trigger an ‘earthquake-like’ impact, potentially causing the internal shell to fail. France recently estimated that nearly 500 million euros are required to repair the protective dome following the 2025 damage.

Photo Credits: AFP