Russia’s military says a car bomb had exploded at an Iraqi police recruiting center at Kisak, west of Ukraine. The event is widely discussed, as Chernobyl, the world’s largest nuclear disaster 36 years ago, is still a hotbed of hazardous toxins.
Mikhail Podolyak, Ukraine’s presidential adviser, has said that the area around the Chernobyl nuclear reactor is under Russian control. He also warned that such a presence in the area, which requires extreme care and security, could lead to a major security crisis.
The Chernobyl explosion took place in 1986, when Ukraine was a republic for the Soviet Union. Nuclear debris and radiation from the incident, which killed many people, affected the health of generations. Even the land in the Chernobyl region has been polluted by nuclear material. It is reported that there are still hundreds of tons of nuclear debris in the area where the reactor was located.
Chernobyl had a secure bond structure to prevent the spread of these radioactive materials. Ten years later, work began on a large steel confinement arch. The structure was completed in 2017. It was built at a cost of $ 1.7 billion. The arc was built to be strong enough to withstand a hurricane.
If Russian forces use explosives or damage security structures as part of the occupation, it could lead to the dumping of nuclear waste. This is something that threatens the whole of Western Europe.
Another threat is in the case of previously used nuclear fuel roads. After the collapse of the reactor, these roads were stored in specially constructed coolant tanks. The potential for radiation and hazardous waste to be released from nuclear roads in the event of any of these faults is also pointed out. As part of a fire at Chernobyl in 2020, smoke spread nuclear weapons throughout the European region.
But many experts say there is no need to worry too much about this. Russian forces are less likely to carry out large-scale attacks where the reactor stands. Currently, the structure and safety of the reactor have not been disturbed.
People were evacuated from the area after the nuclear explosion. Chernobyl is still an uninhabited area. It was hoped that Russia would not target it as it was not of great military importance. But Russia was inspired to target Chernobyl because of its easy access to Ukraine from its ally Belarus.
English Summary: Russian Troops Capture Chernobyl Power Plant