US Pledges $100 Million for Chornobyl Shelter Repair After February 2025 Drone Strike
President Zelenskyy announced on April 29 that the US will provide $100 million to repair Chornobyl's protective confinement, damaged by a Russian drone in February 2025. This funding, about one-fifth of the €500 million needed, is a direct result of the recent International Chornobyl Conference and crucial for radiation safety.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on April 29 that the United States will contribute $100 million to repair the protective confinement at the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant. The structure was damaged in a Russian drone strike in February 2025. Zelenskyy called this «an important step of support from the United States of America» on Telegram.
He described the February 14, 2025, incident as a deliberate Russian attack using a drone similar to the Iranian Shahed. The confinement covers the destroyed fourth reactor block and is crucial for radiation safety. Its restoration requires over €500 million, making the US contribution approximately one-fifth of the total.
This funding pledge follows the International Chornobyl Conference on Recovery and Nuclear Safety held on April 26, 2026, marking the 40th anniversary of the 1986 catastrophe. Zelenskyy stated that the US participation is a direct outcome of agreements made at the conference. He emphasized the need to restore full safety to the confinement and thanked the United States for its support.