Ukrainians fear for Chernobyl's safety after Russia's attack

The two explosions at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant came decades apart.

The first, on April 26, 1986, spread a cloud of deadly radiation that raised fears across Europe and some say hastened the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Ukrainian officials say the second, on Feb. 14, 2025, was caused by a Russian drone.

While not as catastrophic, it sparked new anxieties about Moscow’s invasion of its neighbor, striking the site that symbolized so much suffering for Ukraine.

The drone hit what is known as the New Safe Confinement structure, the $2.1 billion archlike shell completed in 2019 to enclose the hastily built concrete “sarcophagus” to keep what was left of the damaged reactor from leaking radiation.