Greenpeace issued a warning on April 14 that a structural collapse at the defunct Chernobyl nuclear power plant could trigger the release of radioactivity into the environment.
The Ukrainian facility has faced repeated attacks since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022. Most recently, a Russian drone struck the plant's outer shell in February, an incident Kyiv has consistently blamed on Moscow.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) initially detected no radiation leaks from the strike. However, in December 2025, the agency confirmed that the drone impact had compromised the steel protective structure, rendering it unable to block radiation effectively. According to IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi, while some repairs have been completed, "comprehensive restoration remains essential to prevent further degradation and ensure long-term nuclear safety."
Despite these repair efforts, Greenpeace warns that incomplete repairs increase the danger of radioactivity leaking into the environment, particularly if the internal structure were to fail.
The Chernobyl disaster happened on April 26, 1986, when the world witnessed one of the most catastrophic technological failures in history. A failed safety test at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Soviet Ukraine led to a massive explosion, contaminating vast areas with heavy radiation, displacing thousands of people, and leaving behind a legacy of suffering and secrecy.
Chernobyl was not just an accident: it was a convergence of flawed reactor design, human error, and political negligence. Beyond the tragedy, Chernobyl has become an eerie time capsule. Pripyat, once a bustling city for plant workers and their families, now stands abandoned, its streets frozen in the moment residents fled.
But what really happened that night? What secrets did the Soviet Union try to bury? And how has this section of Ukraine continued to play a part in political issues? Click through this gallery to find out.