On 5 August 2025, the State Agency of Ukraine on Exclusion Zone Management (SAUEZM) welcomed Mr Martin Gajdos, the newly appointed Technical Coordinator of IAEA missions to Ukraine. The meeting also brought together representatives from the Department of Nuclear Energy and Atomic Industry of the Ministry of Energy of Ukraine, alongside specialists from the Chornobyl NPP.

The introductory visit aimed to build the foundations for further cooperation, provide an update on the current situation in the Exclusion zone, and outline the next steps for implementing international assistance programs. Particular attention was given to the aftermath of the Russian drone strike on the New Safe Confinement (NSC) at Chornobyl NPP.

During the meeting, Mr Serhii Poplyhin, Deputy Head of the ChNPP Engineering Centre, presented an emergency action plan to carry out urgent temporary repairs to the NSC following the attack, which involved a high-explosive warhead.

He explained that the strike on 14 February 2025 breached the NSC outer cladding and caused damage to several technological systems within the structure. In response, international partners have committed 5 million euros to support immediate repair efforts. These funds will be used to restore key primary and secondary steel structures of the arch frame, the maintenance garage of the main crane system, the outer cladding of the arch, and the sealing membrane.

Other initiatives for cooperation with the IAEA were also discussed during the meeting.

The continued support of the international community shows that Ukraine is not facing these challenges alone – it has reliable partners standing by its side.

Photo: SAUEZM