The Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine was taken over by Russia. Russia and international parties debate about the radiation level that arises.
Reported by Al Jazeera, Saturday (26/2/2022) the Ukrainian government said radiation levels increased in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The reactor is located 130 km from the capital Kiev.
"In the hands of a bad invader, some Plutonium-239 can be turned into a nuclear bomb that turns thousands of hectares into a dead desert," the Ukrainian Ministry of the Environment said.
The Chernobyl Exclusion Zone is an area of 2,600 sq km of forest between the Belarus-Ukraine border and Kiev. The Russian army's attack on Chernobyl is considered to be dangerous.
Scientists from Ukraine's nuclear power agency said the change in radiation levels was due to the movement of heavy weapons in the area. As a result, radioactive dust back up into the air.
Receiving the accusation, Russia immediately vehemently denied it. Russian Defense Ministry spokesman, Igor Konashenkov said radiation was normal.
"Radiation levels are normal in the Chernobyl nuclear power plant area. Nuclear power plants continue to operate the power plant as usual and monitor radiation levels," he said.
From the international side, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said radiation levels at Chernobyl were not dangerous. There were 9.46 microsieverts per hour which was considered low and within safe limits for operational activities.
The Director General of the IAEA, Rafael Mariano Grossi, stressed that conditions at Chernobyl must not be disturbed in any way. The tragedy of 1986, enough to be a historical record.
On April 26, 1986, the Chernobyl incident occurred. Reactor No 4 exploded and caught fire at night, sending radioactive material into the air. The government of the Soviet Union was considered slow to react until radiation was finally detected in Sweden.
Kiev's 2 million residents were not even informed of the nuclear threat. UN records 4,000 deaths from Chernobyl . radiation