The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed that the Airborne Forces took control of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant on February 24. The agency explained that this was necessary to prevent a nuclear provocation. The department also reported on the capture of Serpents’ Island, during which 82 Ukrainian servicemen voluntarily laid down their arms. Earlier, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said that only 13 border guards defended the island and all of them died in battle.
“The joint actions of Russian paratroopers and Ukrainian servicemen of the NPP security battalion to defend the plant are a guarantee that nationalist formations or other terrorist organizations will not be able to take advantage of the current situation in the country to organize a nuclear provocation,” Major General Igor Konashenkov, spokesman for the Russian Defense Ministry, said.
He noted that the Russian and Ukrainian military agreed to jointly ensure the safety of power units and the sarcophagus of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. According to Mr. Konashenkov, the radioactive background in the area of the nuclear power plant is normal, the NPP personnel continue to service its facilities in the normal mode and monitor the radioactive situation.
Also, a representative of the Ministry of Defense spoke about the operation to seize Snake Island. According to him, 82 Ukrainian soldiers who surrendered voluntarily gave a signature refusing to participate in hostilities. In the near future they will be returned to their families.
Earlier, Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke about the death of 13 border guards from the Zmeiny Island, the capture of which was reported the day before by the border service of Ukraine. The island is located in the Black Sea near the Ukrainian-Romanian border and 125 km from Odessa. All killed soldiers were promised to be awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine posthumously.
Yesterday, February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a military operation for the “denazification and demilitarization” of Ukraine, which is being carried out to “cleanse” the country from the Nazis. The United States and the European Union, as well as Great Britain and Canada, announced new anti-Russian sanctions in response. They do not intend to send their military to Ukraine yet.
Read the details in the online broadcast “Kommersant”.