It has been reported by the president of Ukraine that Russian forces were trying to seize the abandoned city of Pripyat, where the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant is located, following the invasion of Ukraine from Russian forces hours before.
According to the latest developments, it has been reported that the city is now captured by Russian forces.
Volodymyr Zelensky, said in a statement:
"Russian occupation forces are trying to seize the Chornobyl nuclear power plant. Our defenders are giving their lives so that the tragedy of 1986 will not be repeated. This is a declaration of war against the whole of Europe."
Russian occupation forces are trying to seize the #Chornobyl_NPP. Our defenders are giving their lives so that the tragedy of 1986 will not be repeated. Reported this to @SwedishPM. This is a declaration of war against the whole of Europe.
— Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) February 24, 2022
The scale of the assault and the number of victims are currently unknown.
The news has raised concerns in a time when many call on cutting off the continent's dependence on Russian fossil fuels and debating whether investment should be made in renewable and nuclear power instead.
The Chernobyl disaster took place in 1986, following a nuclear reactor meltdown. It is estimated that several thousand have had their life span reduced in the decades that followed the event due to the Soviet Union's failure in effectively dealing with the disaster.
[Based on reporting by: IFL science]
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