Russian forces entering Ukraine from Belarus have seized control of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster site.
The decommissioned power plant exploded in April 1986, spraying radioactive waste across Europe and parts of Asia.
“On Day 1 of the first major land war in Europe in decades, the Russian military plunged into Ukraine by land, sea and air, killing dozens of Ukrainian soldiers, and ominously touching off a pitched battle at the highly radioactive Chernobyl exclusion zone that risked damaging the cement-encased nuclear reactor that melted down in 1986,” reports the New York Times.
“National Guard troops responsible for protecting the storage unit for dangerous radioactive waste are putting up fierce resistance,” said an adviser to the interior minister.
BREAKING: Russian forces take Chernobyl: report https://t.co/zilOceQon0 pic.twitter.com/PPSNWH87c7
— The Hill (@thehill) February 24, 2022
BREAKING: A presidential adviser says Ukraine lost control of the Chernobyl nuclear site, where Ukrainian forces had waged a fierce battle with Russian troops https://t.co/1wqGEpKqly pic.twitter.com/t5wmFAWLou
— Bloomberg (@business) February 24, 2022
Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, said on Twitter that Russian forces were trying to seize Chernobyl, the site of the worst nuclear accident in history. “This is a declaration of war against the whole of Europe,” he said. https://t.co/2xkdcKe1ne
— The New York Times (@nytimes) February 24, 2022
“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. Reported this to @SwedishPM. This is a declaration of war against the whole of Europe,” posted the Ukrainian President 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. Reported this to @SwedishPM. This is a declaration of war against the whole of Europe.
— Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) February 24, 2022
Pushkin Square, maybe less than 1000 meters from Red Square and the Kremlin, is the cite of a significant protest. These people know the risks of challenging the regime. They’re on the street in-spite of major personal costs. pic.twitter.com/bYEfbO91xG
— Alexander S. Vindman (@AVindman) February 24, 2022
On the Russian side of the border, thousands gathered in Moscow and other major cities in opposition to Mr. Putin’s invasion.
President Biden is set to unveil new sanctions against Putin’s regime that would significantly cripple his country’s ability to engage in global banking, energy exports, and other international trade.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
