Ukraine announced on Thursday that Russian forces took the chernobyl nuclear power plant after a “fierce” battle on the first day of the Russian offensive against the neighboring country, which was part of the former Soviet Union.
“After a bloody battle, we lost control of Chernobyl,” said advisor to the Ukrainian Presidency, Mikhail Podoliak, quoted by the UNIAN agency.
Podoliak was appointed chief adviser to the president’s office after the government announced that fighting was taking place near the nuclear waste dump of the stricken plant in 1986.
Why Chernobyl may be key if Russia invades Ukraine
After the loss of control of this area, which is highly contaminated, the state of the plant’s facilities, the cover that isolates the damaged reactor and a deposit for nuclear fuel is unknown, said the senior official.
“After this absolutely senseless attack by the Russians, it is not possible to say that the nuclear plant is safe,” Podoliak added.
“This is one of the biggest threats to Europe today,” he said, estimating that the Russians could organize “provocative” activities on the spot to blame Ukraine.
In a basement of the Chernobyl ruins a nuclear fission reaction has apparently started
This plant suffered the worst nuclear accident in history on April 26, 1986 when one of the reactors exploded at a time when Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union.
The disaster that contaminated three-quarters of Europe, especially hit Ukraine, Russia and Belarus.
After the accident at this plant located a hundred kilometers from Kiev, 350,000 people had to be evacuated in a perimeter of 30 kilometers around the plant and there is still controversy about the balance of victims. (I)
Source: Eluniverso
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