Russian Troops Taking Curious Interest in Chernobyl – Russian troops appear to be taking an interest in the site of the former Chernobyl power plant, with reports of forest fires surrounding the site and the destruction of a laboratory close to the plant.
According to the State Agency of Ukraine on Exclusion Zone Management, Russian forces destroyed the most recently established laboratory in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, adding that the facility contained numerous “highly active samples.” The laboratory was also established to improve the way the country manages nuclear waste.
Russian forces took control of the Chernobyl site early into the invasion of Ukraine. Many employees of the site were evacuated but dozens stayed behind to monitor the facility until they were eventually replaced with volunteers.
Ukraine said that the “samples of radionuclides” that were inside of the laboratory are now “in the hands of the enemy.”
Several Forest Fires Recorded Around Chernobyl
A statement from Ukraine’s parliament reveals how an evacuation of personnel at the site of the former Chernobyl power plant took place on March 20, and that seven fires were recorded in the surrounding areas.
“Within the exclusion zone, 7 ignition centers continue to be recorded according to satellite images sentinel-2 of the European Space Agency (ESA),” the statement reads, adding that the forest fires were likely started “as a result of the armed aggression of the Russian Federation, namely the hit of a shell or deliberate arson.”
The Kyiv Independent also reports that most of the fires in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone have been contained and that more than 30 fires have been recorded in the area over the last fortnight.
The statement also suggested that the fires proved particularly dangerous as Ukrainian firefighters were not able to properly tackle the flames because of the presence of Russian soldiers.
Why the Fires Are Concerning
While the Chernobyl power plant is no longer active, it is still the site of the 1986 nuclear meltdown and explosion that saw radioactive contamination spread across the continent. There are also roughly 200 tons of fuel located on the site of the reactor. While the site has been relatively stable in the decades since the meltdown, the Russian invasion of Ukraine has raised concerns that missiles could disturb the site and spread radioactive materials across Ukraine and Europe.
Energoatom, the state-run nuclear energy company in Ukraine, warned that they have no data on the current state of radiation pollution inside the exclusion zones, which makes it difficult to adequately respond to any threats.
“Radiation levels in the exclusion zone and beyond, including not only Ukraine but also other countries, could significantly worsen,” a statement read.
Jack Buckby is a British author, counter-extremism researcher, and journalist based in New York. Reporting on the U.K., Europe, and the U.S., he works to analyze and understand left-wing and right-wing radicalization, and reports on Western governments’ approaches to the pressing issues of today. His books and research papers explore these themes and propose pragmatic solutions to our increasingly polarized society.
