France allocates EUR 10M to repair protective shelter at Chornobyl NPP following Russian drone attack

The relevant statement was made by the Ukrainian Finance Ministry, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

“During the Assembly of Donors of the International Chornobyl Cooperation Account (ICCA), representatives of the French Government announced a EUR 10 million contribution to the EBRD’s Chornobyl Fund. This funding will support ongoing repair works on the New Safe Confinement over the fourth reactor of the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant (ChNPP), which was damaged during a russian drone attack in February this year,” the report states.

The pledge agreement was signed by Special Envoy of the President of the French Republic for Ukraine’s Relief and Reconstruction Pierre Heilbronn and EBRD Vice President for Policy and Partnerships Mark Bowman at the EBRD’s 34th Annual Meeting and Business Forum in London.

“I express my deep gratitude to the Government of France for the decision to provide funding for the restoration of the protective sarcophagus over the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant. Your contribution is crucial for ensuring nuclear safety not only in Ukraine but worldwide. It is not only support for technical solutions, but a contribution to global stability,” Ukrainian Finance Deputy Minister Olga Zykova noted.

Photo: Ukrainian Finance Ministry

In her words, the strategic goal of Ukraine and its partners with regard to Chornobyl NPP should not be merely reacting to new emergencies caused by Russian aggression, but ensuring the sustainable, long-term safety of the facility.

“We must move from a policy of reaction to one of prevention and sustainability. This means long-term investments in the modernization of Chornobyl’s safety infrastructure, continuous physical security, air defense for the site, and proper international funding for monitoring, maintenance, and rapid response,” Zykova stressed.

A reminder that, on the night of February 14, 2025, a Russian attack drone with an explosive warhead struck the shelter covering the destroyed Unit 4 of Chornobyl NPP.

The EBRD is currently working with Chornobyl NPP, Ukrainian experts and France’s Bouygues, which was involved in the original construction of the New Safe Confinement, to assess the full scale of the damage and to develop options for long-term recovery. In order to support these efforts, a total of EUR 5 million is expected to be provided from the Fund’s available resources.

The total cost of restoration works may exceed EUR 100 million.

First photo: IAEA