Russian Invasion Into Chernobyl Exclusion Zone Sparks Fear of Radioactive Fallout
A sign warns of radiation contamination near former apartment buildings on April 9, 2016, in Pripyat, Ukraine, inside the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, a restricted area contaminated by radiation from the 1986 meltdown of reactor No. 4 at the nearby Chernobyl plant in the world’s worst civilian nuclear accident that spewed radioactive fallout across the globe. Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images.
Russian ground forces have moved into the Chernobyl “exclusion zone” — and seized control of the nuclear plant, sources told CNN — risking the spread of radioactive dust across Europe from buried nuclear waste storage sites, Anton Gerashchenko, adviser to Ukraine’s interior minister, said.
“If the invaders artillery hits and ruins / damages the collectors of nuclear waste , radioactive nuclear dust […] can be spread over the territory of Ukraine, Belarus and the [countries] of the EU,” Gerashchenko posted on Facebook.
The Chernobyl exclusion zone — roughly 1,000 square miles — was established after a nuclear reactor core melted down April 26, 1986, at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant by the city of Pripyat near Ukraine’s northern border with Belarus. The explosion killed 31 people immediately, and the radioactive fallout rendered much of the area uninhabitable.
The National Research Centre for Radiation Medicine claims approximately 5 million people have suffered as a result of the disaster and lingering radiation. The site remains one of the most contaminated regions on the planet.
In efforts to contain the deadly radiation, the damaged reactor was encased in concrete. According to Kyiv nuclear safety expert Dmytro Gumenyuk, any damage to that enclosure could prove catastrophic for much of Europe.
As Russian forces surge across the region, Ukrainian National Guard soldiers are fighting to protect the Chernobyl exclusion zone. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Twitter, “Russian occupation forces are trying to seize the #Chornobyl_NPP. Our defenders are giving their lives so that the tragedy of 1986 will not be repeated.”
Editor’s note: Shortly after publication, news broke that Russian forces had taken control of the Chernobyl nuclear plant. This story has been updated to reflect that development. Anton Gerashchenko’s position at Ukraine’s Ministry of the Interior has also been corrected.
Read Next:
Mac Caltrider is a senior staff writer for Coffee or Die Magazine. He served in the US Marine Corps and is a former police officer. Caltrider earned his bachelor’s degree in history and now reads anything he can get his hands on. He is also the creator of Pipes & Pages, a site intended to increase readership among enlisted troops. Caltrider spends most of his time reading, writing, and waging a one-man war against premature hair loss.
Biden will award the Medal of Honor to a Vietnam War Army helicopter pilot who risked his life to save a reconnaissance team from almost certain death.
Ever wonder how much Jack Mandaville would f*ck sh*t up if he went back in time? The American Revolution didn't even see him coming.
A nearly 200-year-old West Point time capsule that at first appeared to yield little more than dust contains hidden treasure, the US Military Academy said.
Since the 1920s, a low-tech tabletop replica of an aircraft carrier’s flight deck has been an essential tool in coordinating air operations.
For nearly as long as the Army-Navy football rivalry, the academies’ hoofed mascots have stared each other down from the sidelines. Here are their stories.
Zelenskyy said on his Telegram channel the weapon was produced by Ukraine’s Ministry of Strategic Industries but gave no other details.
Ambushes make for great action scenes. Here are seven of the best to ever grace the big screen.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement that the launch occurred Wednesday but gave no further details, such as how far the missile flew.
