Fears over the safety of the Chernobyl exclusion zone have been reawakened as confirmation came of new structural damage at the site. According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, the New Safe Confinement structure, the giant steel shield constructed to contain radioactive waste, is no longer able to play its complete protective function.

The update marks a worrying development for one of the world’s most sensitive nuclear zones, nearly four decades after the disaster.

Damage to the New Safe Confinement Shield

Strikes in February caused serious damage to the structure, the IAEA said. The outer cladding was scorched, and portions of the protective covering were compromised, undermining the NSC’s key confinement functions.

That steel arch was built in 2016, a shield to contain con

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