Russian forces have evacuated the area around Chernobyl, but Ukrainian officials are now sounding the alarm that troops may have been exposed to high levels of radioactivity after deliberately disrupting radioactive dust, reports Saturday.
Workers at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant (NPP), the site of the 1986 nuclear disaster, have been warning for weeks that Russian troops were raising clouds of radioactive dust as they crossed armored vehicles in an area known as the “Red Forest”.
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ARCHIVE – Ukrainian National Guard, Armed Forces, Special Operations Units exercise as they simulate a crisis situation in an urban settlement, in the abandoned city of Pripyat near the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, Ukraine, February 4, 2022. (AP Photo / Mykola Archive)
Drone footage showed trenches also being dug in “contaminated areas” across the blockade, according to the BBC and the New York Times.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has said it could not independently verify reports that Russian forces had received “high doses of radiation”.
“It is of the utmost importance that the IAEA travel to Chernobyl so that we can take urgent action to help Ukraine ensure nuclear safety and security there,” said Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi. “I am in close consultation with our Ukrainian counterparts to arrange such a visit as soon as possible.”
Until Friday, the nuclear guard could not access the site, but said “the service’s priority was to send security, safety and security personnel to the Cornobil nuclear power plant as soon as possible.”
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A satellite imagery with overlapping graphics shows military vehicles next to the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Chernobyl, Ukraine, on February 25, 2022. (Reuters)
The Chernobyl nuclear power plant was besieged by Russian forces on the first day of the February 24 invasion of Moscow.
Although Ukrainian officials were able to continue to monitor the site, they had to deal with ill-informed Russian soldiers.
“We had to negotiate with them constantly and try hard not to offend them, so that they could allow our staff to manage the facility,” engineer Valeriy Semonov told the BBC on Saturday.
The engineers explained that they had to take drastic measures to ensure that the plant would continue to operate properly, even after losing access to electricity for three days.
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Close-up radioactivity sign on the outskirts of Chernobyl 2019
Semonov said they had to fight and find fuel to keep the generators running – they allegedly stole some of the Russian forces.
Russian forces have withdrawn from northern Ukraine back to Belarus and Russia. However, US and NATO officials have repeatedly warned that this is just a tactic to rearm and refuel before focusing their efforts on eastern Ukraine.
title: “Russian Troops Dug Trenches In Chernobyl S Highly Radioactive Red Forest " ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-13” author: “Amanda Plazza”
Workers at the Chernobyl (NPP) nuclear power plant, the site of the 1986 nuclear disaster, have been warning for weeks that Russian troops are raising clouds of radioactive dust after driving armored vehicles into an area known as the “Red Forest”. Drone footage showed trenches also being dug in “contaminated areas” across the blockade, according to the BBC and the New York Times. The UN Atomic Energy Agency said it could not independently verify reports that Russian forces had received “high doses of radioactivity”. “It is of the utmost importance that the IAEA travel to Chernobyl so that we can take urgent action to help Ukraine ensure nuclear safety and security there,” said Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi. “I am in close consultation with our Ukrainian counterparts to arrange such a visit as soon as possible.” The Chernobyl nuclear power plant was besieged by Russian forces on February 24, 2022.AP Photo / Mykola Tymchenko, Archive Until Friday, the nuclear guard could not access the site, but said “the service’s priority was to send security, safety and security personnel to the Cornobil nuclear power plant as soon as possible.” The Chernobyl nuclear power plant was besieged by Russian forces on the first day of the February 24 invasion of Moscow. Although Ukrainian officials were able to continue to monitor the site, they had to deal with ill-informed Russian soldiers. Ukrainian engineers managed to keep the plant in safe operation while Russian forces owned the facility. AFP via Getty Images Ukrainian forces are training in the abandoned city of Pripyat near the Chernobyl nuclear power plant on February 4, 2022 before the Russian invasion. REUTERS / Gleb Garanich “We had to negotiate with them constantly and try hard not to offend them, so that they could allow our staff to manage the facility,” engineer Valeriy Semonov told the BBC on Saturday. The engineers explained that they had to take drastic measures to ensure that the plant would continue to operate properly, even after losing access to electricity for three days. Semonov said they had to fight and find fuel to keep the generators running – they allegedly stole some of the Russian forces. Russian forces have withdrawn from northern Ukraine back to Belarus and Russia. However, US and NATO officials have repeatedly warned that this is just a tactic to rearm and refuel before focusing their efforts on eastern Ukraine.
