Rescuers are partially opening the Chernobyl sarcophagus to extinguish a smoldering hotspot.

On Saturday, February 22, rescuers are undertaking work to partially uncover the shelter of the 4th reactor block at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant to extinguish a smoldering spot that was detected overnight. This information was reported by the press services of the State Emergency Service and the State Agency for the Management of the Exclusion Zone.

It is noted that on the night of Saturday, February 22, rescuers used thermal imaging cameras to identify a new smoldering area on the central seam of the arch shell of the NSC (New Safe Confinement).

“Rescuer mountaineers from the State Emergency Service are working on partially uncovering the shelter structures and eliminating one smoldering spot from the northern side of the arch. Continuous monitoring is being conducted using drones equipped with thermal cameras and handheld thermal imagers,” the State Emergency Service reported.

The State Emergency Service and the agency managing the exclusion zone are monitoring the radiation background at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. Currently, it remains normal, with no recorded release of radioactive substances beyond established limits.

Recall that a Russian drone struck the sarcophagus of the 4th reactor block at the Chernobyl NPP on the night of February 14. SBU investigators found debris from a strike drone called “Geran-2” of the Shahed type at the site. It was determined that it was equipped with a high-explosive warhead. According to experts, Russian military forces intentionally attacked the Chernobyl NPP.

On February 19, the press service of the State Emergency Service reported that rescuers continue to extinguish isolated smoldering spots at the reactor block shelter.