Germany pledges €50 million to repair Chornobyl nuclear shelter damaged in Russian drone strike

Germany has pledged €50 million to the International Cooperation Account for Chornobyl to help repair the New Safe Confinement protective structure, which was damaged during a Russian drone strike in February 2025. The steel shelter, designed to last 100 years, had its shielding function compromised after its inner membrane smoldered. While the total restoration is estimated at €500 million with repairs planned for 2028–2030, other international partners like the European Union and Norway have also committed financial support to ensure European nuclear safety.

German €50 million pledge

• ▪Germany's Federal Minister for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety, Carsten Schneider, announced the €50 million pledge during a visit to Kyiv.
• ▪Germany will allocate €50 million to the Chornobyl International Cooperation Account to restore the New Safe Confinement structure at the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant.
• ▪Ukraine's Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal discussed the restoration support with Germany's Federal Minister Carsten Schneider during a delegation visit to the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant.

Russian drone strike damage

• ▪The New Safe Confinement protective steel structure covering the destroyed reactor at the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant was damaged in a Russian drone strike in February 2025.
• ▪Following the Russian drone strike, experts stated that the shielding function of the Chornobyl New Safe Confinement structure can no longer be guaranteed.
• ▪The Russian drone strike in February 2025 caused the waterproof inner membrane of the Chornobyl New Safe Confinement to smolder for three weeks, forcing firefighters to cut holes in the outer layer.
• ▪The Chornobyl New Safe Confinement steel structure was designed to shield the destroyed reactor for 100 years, but it remained fully functional for only six years before being damaged.

International financial support coordination

• ▪International partners including the European Union and Norway have promised to deposit funds into the International Cooperation Account for Chornobyl to assist in repairing the structure.
• ▪The European Union announced a €75 million grant in June 2026 to assist in the restoration of the Chornobyl New Safe Confinement structure.
• ▪The preliminary estimate for the complete restoration of the Chornobyl New Safe Confinement structure is approximately €500 million, with the International Atomic Energy Agency confirming the damage scale.
• ▪The actual repair work to restore the damaged Chornobyl New Safe Confinement structure is scheduled to be carried out from 2028 to 2030.

European nuclear safety concerns

• ▪Restoring the Chornobyl New Safe Confinement structure is critically important for ensuring nuclear and radiation safety in Ukraine and throughout Europe.
• ▪The restoration of the protective structure will ensure continued control over the Chornobyl facility and maintain safety levels for Ukraine and other European countries.

3 sources