Russian forces entering Ukraine from Belarus have seized control of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster site.
The decommissioned power plant exploded in April 1986, spraying radioactive waste across Europe and parts of Asia.
“On Day 1 of the first major land war in Europe in decades, the Russian military plunged into Ukraine by land, sea and air, killing dozens of Ukrainian soldiers, and ominously touching off a pitched battle at the highly radioactive Chernobyl exclusion zone that risked damaging the cement-encased nuclear reactor that melted down in 1986,” reports the New York Times.
“National Guard troops responsible for protecting the storage unit for dangerous radioactive waste are putting up fierce resistance,” said an adviser to the interior minister.
“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,” posted the Ukrainian President on Twitter.
On the Russian side of the border, thousands gathered in Moscow and other major cities in opposition to Mr. Putin’s invasion.
President Biden is set to unveil new sanctions against Putin’s regime that would significantly cripple his country’s ability to engage in global banking, energy exports, and other international trade.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
