Making Chornobyl Safe: mobilising action to restore a vital nuclear safeguard
In early 2025, a Russian drone strike severely damaged Chornobyl’s New Safe Confinement (NSC), a critical safeguard against radiological risk from the remains of the reactor destroyed in the 1986 disaster.
The attack created an urgent public-safety challenge: restoring protection of one of the world’s most significant nuclear sites by securing more than €500 million needed for repairs. As manager of the International Chernobyl Cooperation Account, the EBRD launched a global communications campaign to help mobilise international donor support for the NSC’s restoration.[1]
Its public-safety purpose was to explain the radiological protection at stake, make the case for urgent repairs and sustain international support for Ukraine’s resilience and recovery.
[1]Following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the EBRD uses the Ukrainian spelling of Chornobyl. The legal name of the ICCA cannot be changed at this time.
Making Chornobyl Safe combined multimedia content gathered in a war zone, immersive technology, high-impact journalism, creator partnerships and a targeted digital strategy. The campaign linked every communications element to one concrete public-safety need: restoring the NSC’s protective function.
At the heart of the campaign was a bespoke virtual reality experience that gave priority donor and policy audiences an immersive view of the NSC damage. It was presented at seven high-level events across five countries to European Commissioners, finance ministers, IAEA leadership and Ukrainian officials.
The campaign was amplified through a partnership with the Financial Times, including an interactive feature that was one of the most read that week, video explainers, FT Weekend print coverage and an Instagram Reel viewed more than 601,000 times.
To broaden public understanding, the EBRD partnered with science creator and influencer Kyle Hill, whose Chornobyl documentary generated more than 1.4 million YouTube views and over 11,000 comments. Supporting activity included 90 social media posts, a documentary film and targeted digital promotion that generated more than 810,000 additional views from a budget of approximately £2,000.
Earned media further extended the campaign’s authority and reach. BBC, Reuters, RAI and Deutsche Welle used EBRD footage captured at Chornobyl in October 2025, while EBRD experts contributed commentary on nuclear safety and the site’s recovery.
The campaign placed the NSC’s protective role and repair requirement before donor decision-makers and mass audiences. Its results demonstrate strong visibility, engagement and stated support for restoring this critical nuclear safeguard. The final pledge outcome remains pending.
Why this deserves a Shorty Award
Making Chornobyl Safe made an invisible and technically complex risk understandable to the people whose decisions could help restore a critical nuclear safeguard. By combining evidence from the damaged site with immersive storytelling and trusted distribution, the campaign connected public understanding, political attention and donor support to a concrete safety need: restoring the NSC’s protective function.
