“This is one of the most serious threats in Europe today.”
Following hours of firefights, Russian troops have seized the former site of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant.
The plant has been in the process of decommissioning since a catastrophic failure in one of the reactors, causing one of the worst nuclear disaster in history.
The zone around the area had been open for tourists to visit, but closed for an indefinite amount of time on Saturday (19 February).
Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to the Ukrainian President, confirmed that Russian troops had seized the area on Thursday (24 February)
“It is impossible to say the Chernobyl nuclear power plant is safe after a totally pointless attack by the Russians,” Pololyak said.
“This is one of the most serious threats in Europe today.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had stated that the region was under attack earlier in the day.
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.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) February 24, 2022
“Russian occupation forces are trying to seize the #Chornobyl_NPP,” Zelensky tweeted.
“Our defenders are giving their lives so that the tragedy of 1986 will not be repeated. Reported this to [the Swedish Prime Minister].
“This is a declaration of war against the whole of Europe,” he added.
World leaders are set to meet at a special meeting of the European Council tonight in response to the conflict in Ukraine.
Earlier on in the day, Secretary-General for the United Nations António Guterres has pleaded to Russian president Vladimir Putin to call his troops back home “in the name of humanity“.
“This is the saddest moment in my tenure as Secretary-General of the United Nations,” said Guterres during a public address.
“I started this meeting of the Security Council addressing President Putin and telling him from the bottom of my heart – ‘Stop your troops from an offensive to Ukraine, give peace a chance’ – because too many people have already died.
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