Drone damaged Chernobyl's protective steel shield during conflict

A cheap drone caused damage to the protective steel shell covering the Chernobyl nuclear site. This structure, built to last for 100 years, was designed to keep radioactive materials contained after the disaster in 1986. Eric Schmieman, a civil engineer involved in the construction of the shield, noted that it was intended to withstand many natural threats. However, the engineers never expected it would be targeted during a war. The shield was completed in 2016 and is the largest movable structure in the world. Ukrainian officials reported that the Russian military struck the shell with a drone, known as a Shahed 136. The Kremlin has denied any involvement in the incident. After the drone strike on February 14, a fire broke out, but emergency responders quickly extinguished it. The fire, however, caused damage inside the structure, leading to smoldering insulation for nearly three weeks. Firefighters had to use mountain-climbing gear to reach the affected areas and spray water inside the shell. This was necessary to prevent corrosion in a structure meant to remain dry.