A Russian strike could collapse the internal radiation shelter at Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine, the plant’s director told AFP. Chernobyl was the site of the 1986 world’s worst nuclear disaster. Since Russia’s invasion in February 2022, Kyiv accuses Moscow of repeatedly targeting the defunct plant. Earlier this year, a hit caused a hole in the outer radiation shell. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) warned the shelter had “lost its primary safety functions.” Plant director Sergiy Tarakanov said fully fixing the shelter could take three to four years. He warned another Russian hit might collapse the inner shell. "If a missile or drone hits it directly, or even falls nearby, for example, an Iskander, God forbid, it will cause a mini-earthquake in the area," Tarakanov said. The Iskander is a Russian short-range ballistic missile that can destroy bunkers. "No one can guarantee that the shelter facility will remain standing after that. That is the main threat," he added. The plant has two radiation shells: an inner steel-and-concrete shell called the Sarcophagus, built after the disaster, and a modern outer shell called the New Safe Confinement (NSC). In February, a Russian drone strike severely damaged the NSC roof, causing a major fire. "Our NSC has lost several of its main functions. And we understand that it will take us at least three or four years to restore these functions," Tarakanov said. A recent IAEA inspection said the shelter had “lost its primary safety functions, including the confinement capability,” but found no permanent damage to its load-bearing structures or monitoring systems. Radiation levels remain "stable and within normal limits," the director said. The drone strike hole is covered with a protective screen, but around 300 smaller holes made when firefighters fought the blaze still require repairs. Russia’s forces captured Chernobyl at the start of its 2022 invasion but withdrew weeks later.