KIEV — The Ukrainian president's office said enough donation pledges have been received to begin construction of a new shelter over the site of the world's worst nuclear disaster.
Foreign Minister Kostyantyn Hryshchenko told President Viktor Yanukovych on Tuesday that work on the 740 million euro ($1.04 billion) project at the Chernobyl nuclear plant could begin this year and should be completed in 2015.
Anton Usov, a spokesman for the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, which manages the project, said international donors have so far pledged 670 million euros ($940 million). He said the remainder should be raised as the project progresses.
Ukraine this year marked the 25th anniversary of the disaster.