War in Ukraine Russians retreat from Chernobyl – trenches in the world’s most contaminated forest
In early February, Ukrainian soldiers were still operating in the restricted area of Chernobyl.
© Ukrinform / DPA
01.04.2022, 18:56 3 minutes reading
After five weeks, Russian troops withdraw from the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. Many soldiers are probably irradiated. According to Ukraine, the recruits were unaware that they had been sent to one of the most contaminated areas in the world.
Shortly after the invaders crossed the border from the north, they found themselves in heavily contaminated territory. The damaged Chernobyl nuclear power plant is just a few kilometers from Belarus and around it, within a radius of 30 kilometers, there is a restricted area. Those who work in the contaminated area, such as foresters, firefighters or technicians, are required to leave every few weeks for health reasons. Apparently, Russian troops are following this recommendation.
“Small number” of Russians are still there
“This morning, the invaders declared their intention to leave the Chernobyl nuclear power plant,” Ukrainian nuclear power company Energoatom said. Russian soldiers would now “march in two columns towards the Ukrainian-Belarusian border”. A “small number” of Russian soldiers are still at the nuclear complex, according to Energoatom. Furthermore, there is “evidence that a column of Russian soldiers who are besieging the city of Slavutysh is being formed and is expected to move to Belarus.” The site houses the employees who deal with the decommissioned nuclear power plant at Chernobyl.
Some of the soldiers reportedly received “significant doses of radiation”, according to Ukrainian sources. However, it was “impossible to quantify the extent of radioactive contamination”, according to the plant’s head. According to Energoatom, they dug trenches in the forest in the exclusion zone. In doing so, they are believed to have come into contact with radiated material below the surface. At the first sign of illness, the soldiers would have panicked and prepared to withdraw. According to other reports, the Russians dug the ground with tanks, kicking up masses of radioactive dust.
Particularly stressed soils and forests
The radiation legacy of the April 26, 1986 GAU is distributed very differently even 36 years after the accident. In the village of Chernobyl, which is about 20 kilometers from the nuclear plant, pollution is not very high, unlike Pribyat, the ghost town within sight of the reactor. Right in front of the damaged Block 4 (even without the new protective covering) it was possible to stay for a few hours, but a few hundred meters ahead, where the ripped roof had landed in the forest, only a few minutes. The reason: radioactive particles are mainly deposited in soil, trees and bushes. If dust and leaves are thrown, hazardous radiation is redistributed.
This is one of the reasons why farming and gardening are prohibited in the exclusion zone. Although many returned residents in the area are not complying. However, this creates another problem: it is hardly possible for local foresters to manage forests. But this is urgently needed as Ukraine is now suffering from extreme drought, which in turn increases the risk of wildfires. Just a few days ago, parts of the exclusion zone were on fire. “Big fires have started in the exclusion zone, which could have very serious consequences,” Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said in late March. However, because of Russian troops, it was “impossible to completely control and extinguish the fires”.
Not a good idea: digging holes
The last time there was a major fire in the vicinity of the nuclear power plant was in 2020. So much cesium-137 was distributed by the ten-day fire that traces of the radioactive element were still measurable in Germany. In short: digging holes in the exclusion zone is not a good idea.
According to the Belarusian opposition portal telegraf.by, the soldiers would have remained in the extremely contaminated “Red Forest” without radiation protection measures. Russian fighters are said to have never heard of the Chernobyl disaster. Iryna Wereshtschuk wrote on social media that doctors in protective suits had to show up to inform recruits about the dangers of their actions.
Troop withdrawals could be for reasons other than radioactive contamination, there also appears to be a rotation of troop units in play. It is said that the soldiers took hostages with them. “While fleeing the Chernobyl nuclear facility, the Russian occupiers took members of the national guard they had held since February 24,” Ukraine’s nuclear agency said. It was unclear how many Ukrainian soldiers were involved.
At the beginning of the occupation, it was still said that the National Guard would guard the ruins of the nuclear plant together with the Russians. Soldiers also stole “equipment and other valuables” from the decommissioned nuclear facility. Ukrainian experts would now be sent to the scene to look for “potential explosive devices”.
Swell up: DPA, AFP, “Taz”, Telegraf.by, PBS
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