• News
  • Film and TV
  • Music
  • Tech
  • Features
  • Celebrity
  • Politics
  • Weird
  • Community
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
TikTok
YouTube
Submit Your Content
Chernobyl Radiation Fears As Huge Forest Fires Break Out Next To Plant

Home> News

Updated 16:55 27 Mar 2022 GMT+1Published 16:23 27 Mar 2022 GMT+1

breaking

Chernobyl Radiation Fears As Huge Forest Fires Break Out Next To Plant

More to follow

Dominic Smithers

Dominic Smithers

Ukrainian authorities are increasingly concerned as forest fires rage near Chernobyl Power Plant.

According to officials, over 10 hectares of forest are currently burning in the Exclusion Zone.

Lyudmila Denisova, commissioner of the Verkhovna Rada (parliament) of Ukraine for Human Rights, said the flames have caused increasing levels of radioactive pollution in the area.

Advert

She has urged for immediate action to be taken by the International Atomic Energy Agency to 'prevent irreparable consequences not only for Ukraine but also for the whole world'.

In a post to Facebook, Ms Denisova said: "Control and suppression of fires is impossible due to the capture of the exclusion zone by Russian troops.

Fires are currently raging close to Chernobyl Power Plant.
Alamy

"As a result of combustion, radionuclides are released into the atmosphere, which are transported by wind over long distances. This threatens radiation to Ukraine, Belarus and European countries.

Advert

"Catastrophic consequences can be prevented only by immediate deoccupation of the territory by Russian troops.

"Therefore, I call on international human rights organisations to take all possible measures to increase pressure on the Russian Federation to end military aggression against Ukraine and deoccupy high-risk areas."

Ukrainian politician Inna Sovsun tweeted: "10 hectares of forest are burning in the Chornobyl Zone, caused by #Russian shelling.

The fires have reached the Exclusion Zone.
Alamy

Advert

"It isn't possible to put out the fire now, as this territory isn't controlled by #Ukraine. We're afraid that the fire will reach the nuclear power plant. The radiation level is already elevated."

This comes after Ukrainian authorities accused Russia of destroying a laboratory at Chernobyl, said to contain 'highly active' substances. 

The power plant was seized by Russian forces on the first day Vladimir Putin sent troops across the border on 24 February.

Since then, the plant has been subject to power outages, warnings of possible radiation leaks, and reports of workers at the plant being taken as hostages and forced to survive on just one meal and two hours of sleep a day.

Advert

Last week, Ukrainian officials claimed that 'highly active samples and samples of radionuclides are now in the hands of the enemy'.

Russian forces took control of the plant following the invasion of Ukraine.
Alamy

A radionuclide is a type of atom which is unstable due to having an excess of nuclear energy.

Officials also reported that the lab - which was opened in 2015 and has been functional ever since - contained valuable and unique equipment, as per The Times.

Advert

Authorities stated that they 'hope' that the 'highly active samples' and 'radionuclides' will 'harm' the enemy opposed to 'the civilised world,' The Independent reports.

Energoatom, the state nuclear company, confirmed on Monday (21 March) that it is currently 'impossible to adequately respond to threats' because of the monitoring system being down and there being 'no data on the current state of radiation pollution of the exclusion zone's environment'.

Featured Image Credit: Alamy

Topics: Ukraine, Russia, Chernobyl

Dominic Smithers
Dominic Smithers

Dominic Smithers is the News/Agenda Desk Lead, covering the latest trends and breaking stories. After graduating from the University of Leeds with a degree in French and History, he went on to write for the Manchester Evening News, the Accrington Observer and the Macclesfield Express. So as you can imagine, he’s spent many a night wondering just how useful that second language has been. But c'est la vie.

X

@SmithersDom

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

8 hours ago
10 hours ago
11 hours ago
  • 8 hours ago

    Woman with fear of dolls sues boss after terrifying office prank left her with PTSD

    A former banker with a lifelong fear of dolls says she’s had PTSD after a prank at work

    News
  • 8 hours ago

    Celebrity chef Anne Burrell's final Instagram post before she suddenly died aged 55 as police release heartbreaking details

    Anne Burrell was best known for TV shows like Secrets of a Restaurant Chef and Worst Cooks in America

    Celebrity
  • 10 hours ago

    Teen dies aged 14 just days after contracting infection as doctor issue urgent warning

    William Hand tragically died on June 8 at the age of 14

    News
  • 11 hours ago

    Celebrity chef Anne Burrell dies suddenly aged 55 as police release heartbreaking details

    Anne Burrell's family confirmed her death on June 17

    Celebrity
  • Shocking footage shows Russian drone hitting Chernobyl power plant that 'protects the world from radiation'
  • Impact Russian drone hitting Chernobyl power plant ‘protecting world from radiation' could have on Earth if significantly damaged
  • Chernobyl Worker Speaks Out After Plant Was Seized By Russians
  • Chernobyl Staff Say Russian Troops Spread Radiation