The Chernobyl nuclear disaster site's protective shield can no longer confine radioactive waste due to damage inflicted by a Russian drone strike earlier this year, the International Atomic Energy Agency said.

In a statement Friday, the U.N. nuclear watchdog said its experts confirmed that the new safe confinement structure at the Chernobyl site "lost its primary safety functions, including the confinement capability," after a February drone strike that sparked a major fire in the outer cladding of the massive steel arch.

While inspectors found no permanent damage to the structure's load-bearing elements or monitoring systems, the IAEA warned that only "limited temporary repairs" have been made and that comprehensive restoration is urgently needed to prevent further degradation and protect long-term nuclear safety.

Ukraine has accused Russia of carrying out the Feb. 14 strike, which the Kremlin has denied, according to CNN.

The situation highlights how Moscow's attacks on critical infrastructure are creating nuclear-risk pressure points across a country that still relies heavily on atomic power.

IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said the agency is "criss-crossing Ukraine" from Dec. 1-12 to assess more than 10 electrical substations essential to the national grid and directly tied to nuclear power plant safety systems.

Those substations are "absolutely indispensable" for the electricity nuclear plants need for reactor cooling and other safety functions, Grossi said, as well as for distributing power to homes and industry.

Three of Ukraine's nuclear power plants are still operating, the IAEA said.

The agency noted that earlier substation missions already have highlighted a continuing degradation of the grid and growing challenges to transmission infrastructure as the war drags on.

When reactors are shut down, sites still need reliable power for spent fuel cooling and radiation monitoring — systems that can become vulnerable during blackouts and equipment failures.

The Associated Press has reported deepening concerns over repeated Russian bombardment of Ukraine's power grid, including the risk that loss of external power could blind radiation monitoring systems at Chernobyl and complicate safety at other nuclear facilities, including the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia plant.

The IAEA said additional temporary repairs to the Chernobyl confinement structure are planned in 2026 with support from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, as a bridge to full restoration once the conflict ends.

In the meantime, the agency is recommending restoration work including humidity control, enhanced corrosion monitoring, and upgrades to automated monitoring systems.

It also said it has delivered 188 shipments of equipment and supplies to Ukraine since the conflict began, with total assistance exceeding $24 million (21 million euros).

Newsmax Wires contributed to this story.

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