In the midst of the war between Ukraine and Russia, it was learned that Russian troops invaded the Chernobyl nuclear power plantan area that is remembered for the accident that occurred in 1986 that is considered one of the worst tragedies in the world.(Due to the public interest aroused by the events between Russia and Ukraine, all our coverage of that invasion and related actions will have free access for all readers of EL TIEMPO).
Any armed attack and any threat against nuclear facilities dedicated to peaceful purposes constitutes a violation of the principles of the UN Charter
More than 30 people, according to records, died directly from the explosion of Reactor 4 at the plant. However, over the months and years, new victims were discovered as a result of the radioactivity.
(Be sure to read: Russia’s attack on Ukraine: traffic jams and panic on the outskirts of Kiev).
Now, Russian soldiers have occupied the area that is located in the north of Ukraine and borders Belarus – a country allied with the government of Vladimir Putin.
The director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, the UN nuclear agency, Rafael Grossi, made this Thursday a call “for maximum moderation” to avoid any action that could endanger nuclear facilities in Ukraine, including the former Chernobyl plant.
In a statement, the IAEA confirmed that, according to information received from the Ukrainian nuclear regulator, “unidentified armed forces” took control of the facilities of the state company Chernobyl NPP, located within the exclusion zone.
According to him International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)the Ukrainian regulator added that there have been no casualties or destruction at the site.
Grossi stressed that it is of “vital importance” that the safe operations of the nuclear facilities in that area are not affected or interrupted in any way.
The director general recalled that the IAEA General Conference adopted a decision in 2009 stating that “any armed attack and any threat against nuclear facilities dedicated to peaceful purposes constitutes a violation of the principles of the Charter of the UNinternational law and the statute of the organization”.
(Keep reading: Ukraine closes its airspace after Russian attack).
Image of the city of the Chernobyl power plant, several years after the tragedy.
‘This is a declaration of war’
Around 10 am (Colombian time), the president of ukraine He reported on his Twitter account that the Russian military was taking over Chernobyl.
“Our defenders are giving their lives so that the tragedy of 1986 does not repeat itself. This is a declaration of war against all of Europe,” he wrote. Volodymyr Zelensky.
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
After this absolutely senseless attack by the Russians, it is not possible to say that the nuclear plant is safe
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry added that “the world witnessed the greatest technological disaster” in that area.
“After a fierce battle we lost control of the Chernobyl site,” said Mikhailo Podoliak, chief adviser in the president’s office. Volodomir Zelensky, after the government reported fighting near the nuclear waste dump of the damaged plant in 1986.
(Also: Ukraine – Russia: this is how the world has mobilized against the invasion).
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.
What is known about the state of the nuclear plant?
On April 26, 1986, at 1:23 am, reactor number 4 at the Chernobyl plant, located a hundred kilometers from Kiev, exploded during a safety test, as recorded by EL TIEMPO.
The nuclear fuel burned for ten days and released radioactive elements that contaminated nearby countries, such as Belarus and Russianations that once belonged to the Soviet Union.
The scientific committee of the UN (Unscear) only officially recognizes about thirty dead among the workers and firefighters who died of radiation after the explosion. In 2006, the NGO Greenpeace estimated the number of deaths caused by the radioactive effects of the nuclear catastrophe at around 100,000.
(You can read: ‘Mom, dad, I love you’: the shocking message of a Ukrainian soldier).
![Chernobyl](https://www.eltiempo.com/images/1x1.png)
Amusement park in Pripyat, the ghost town of Chernobyl.
In recent years, the abandoned area had attracted curious tourists who wanted to know the status of the plant.
Trends EL TIEMPO, AFP and EFE
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