The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has approved a draft law introducing amendments to the National Programme for the Decommissioning of the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant and the Transformation of the Shelter Object into an Environmentally Safe System. The document extends the programme and its funding through 2036, updates its measures to reflect current challenges, the consequences of Russia's armed aggression, and the actual progress of projects at the Chornobyl NPP site.

The updated programme refines the list of activities and funding sources required for the decommissioning of the Chornobyl NPP and the transformation of the Shelter Object into an environmentally safe system.

The total funding allocated for the programme through 2036 amounts to approximately UAH 50.8 billion. Of this amount, UAH 45.6 billion is expected to be financed from the state budget, while an additional UAH 5.2 billion will be provided through international technical assistance.

The programme required updating following the completion of the shutdown and preparatory phases of the Chornobyl NPP decommissioning process. The next stage involves the direct decommissioning of the plant and the continued transformation of the Shelter Object into an environmentally safe system.

The draft law also introduces additional objectives and measures to address the damage sustained by the New Safe Confinement arch following the direct strike of a Russian unmanned aerial vehicle. It provides for further actions necessary to restore the protective infrastructure and ensure nuclear and radiation safety.

Extending the programme will ensure the uninterrupted continuation of the Chornobyl NPP decommissioning process, support Ukraine's international commitments in the field of nuclear safety, and facilitate the mobilisation of international technical and financial assistance for projects at the plant.

Following the Government's approval, the draft law will be submitted to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine for consideration.