Ukraine Reports Higher Chernobyl Radiation After Russians Capture Plant
Ukraine said on Friday it had recorded increased radiation levels from the defunct Chernobyl nuclear power plant, a day after the site was captured by Russian forces, due to military activity causing radioactive dust to rise into the air.
The former power plant was captured by Russian forces on Thursday after Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, an adviser to the Ukrainian presidential office said.
Ukraine's nuclear agency initially said on Friday it was recording increased radiation levels from the site of the defunct Chernobyl nuclear power plant.
Experts at the agency did not provide exact radiation levels but said the change was due to the movement of heavy military equipment in the area lifting radioactive dust into the air.
Russia had captured the area earlier and had said the levels were normal, and had sent paratroopers to guard the plant.
"Radiation starts to increase. It is not critical for Kyiv for the time being, but we are monitoring," the interior ministry said.
The still-radioactive site of the 1986 nuclear disaster lies some 100 kilometers from Kyiv. Presidential advisers meanwhile said President Volodymyr Zelenskiy was still in the capital Kyiv.
"The base scenario of Russia's special operation is clear. The sole goal - to take Kyiv and kill Ukraine's authorities, President Zelenskiy personally," said an adviser to the Ukrainian presidential office, Mykhailo Podolyak.
The Chernobyl nuclear reactor is the site of the worst nuclear disasters in history.
Story by Aaron French for REUTERS, posted on The Jerusalem Post.
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