Radioactive area of Chernobyl experiencing inferno
A blaze has ignited inside the radioactive band around the Chernobyl nuclear power station in Ukraine, claimed by Kyiv Oblast Governor Ruslan Kravchenko via Facebook. The blaze spread across around 20 hectares, but the radiation levels remain normal, according to the zone's officials. Approximately 200 firefighters, including 50 soldiers, are working to put out the fire and have managed to contain it.
Authorities have warned about the possibility of heightened smoke levels in the Browary district east of Kyiv and advise residents to keep their windows closed and limit their outdoor activities. The reason behind the fire is yet to be disclosed. The summer heatwave and persistent dry spells in the region have boosted the risk of fires.
The 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster, deemed the worst in the world, took place in northern Ukraine and was under the Soviet Union's control. Consequently, an area within approximately 30 kilometers of the disaster site was locked down due to radioactive contamination. Over 30,000 people were relocated because of this. During their invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Russian troops made use of the largely abandoned exclusion zone along the Belarusian border for their advance towards Kyiv, located approximately 80 kilometers from the border. However, Ukraine maintained a higher state of military vigilance in the area after the Russian troops withdrew in April 2022.
The ongoing blaze at the Chernobyl nuclear power station, currently a topic of concern in Kyiv Oblast, is not to be confused with the catastrophic Ukrainian War that caused significant displacement and damage in the region several decades ago. Despite the current blaze being related to the aforementioned nuclear power station, it does not pose the same level of danger or upheaval as the Ukrainian War did.
