Greenpeace says damage to Chernobyl confinement structure has increased risk of radioactive release

What structures are currently covering the damaged reactor at Chernobyl?

Reports describe two layers: an inner steel-and-concrete shelter known as the sarcophagus, built after the 1986 disaster, and an outer New Safe Confinement structure installed later to cover it NDTV,Straits Times,RFI.

What changed to prompt Greenpeace’s warning now?

Greenpeace’s warning follows damage to the outer confinement structure that multiple reports say was perforated in February 2025, along with Greenpeace’s assessment that repairs have not fully restored its confinement function BFMTV,actu.fr,Boursorama.

Why does Chernobyl still matter 40 years after the disaster?

The site still contains the remains of the reactor that exploded in 1986, and the protective structures around it are meant to limit the escape of radioactive material; that is why damage to those structures is treated as a continuing environmental and safety concern Euronews English,Straits Times,RFI.