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The abandoned city of Pripyat and the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant registered higher than expected levels of radiation following the Russian attack of February 24. This was reported by Ukraine's nuclear agency and interior ministry, according to Reuters, and is due to the presence of a significant military contingency lifting radioactive dust from the soil into the air. The level of radioactivity was not revealed.
"Radiation starts to increase. It is not critical for Kyiv for the time being, but we are monitoring," the interior ministry said.
Experts believe that the risk of accidental release of radioactive material is very low, but a deliberate release can't be excluded. It is unclear why the Russian government targeted the area.
The attack in the so-called Exclusion Zone came on the first day of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The area is now under Russian control but the Ukraine Nuclear agency has confirmed to the International Atomic Energy Agency that there has been no destruction and no casualties at the industrial site.
This story is developing – more to follow.
[H/T: Reuters]
