Here’s what you’ll learn when you read this story:The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed this week that the New Safe Confinement structure—designed to confine radiation at the Chernobyl nuclear plant—is no longer performing its containment function. This comes months after a drone attack during the ongoing war in Ukraine struck the structure, crippling its protective capabilities. The current structure, known as the New Safe Confinement (which was completed in 2016 to replace the Soviet Union’s emergency shelter from 1986), survived the month-long occupation by Russian forces in early 2022. But earlier this year, a drone strike blew a hole in the multi-layered structure that was designed to withstand radiation, moisture, heat, and even tornadoes. Wikimedia Commons A breakdown of New Safe Confinement dome, covering reactor 4 at the Chernobyl nuclear plant.