Norway provides over €9M to repair Chornobyl sarcophagus

Norway is providing more than €9 million to repair the protective sarcophagus covering the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant after it was damaged by a Russian drone.

According to Norwegian Embassy in Ukraine, Oslo will allocate NOK 100 million – approximately €9.1 million – for the repair of the protective structure over Chornobyl's fourth reactor following a Russian drone strike, News.Az reports, citing European Pravda.

The assistance will be channelled through the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development's International Chornobyl Cooperation Account (ICCA). The support was announced by State Secretary Eivind Vad Petersson during a visit to Kyiv, with reference also made to the 7 June incident in which Russia struck the spent nuclear fuel storage facility in the Chornobyl exclusion zone.

"These attacks also pose a threat to European and international security. Norway will make efforts to reduce the risk of radioactive releases and ensure that the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant continues to operate safely," he said.

The United States expressed readiness in April to provide up to US$100 million as part of a joint G7 effort to repair the new sarcophagus over the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant. The EU, ahead of the 40th anniversary of the Chornobyl disaster, called on Russia to halt attacks on nuclear facilities in Ukraine.

News.Az 

By Ulviyya Salmanli