Chernobyl reactor captured by Russia, fear of radiation spread to EU

Russian military forces have captured the Chernobyl nuclear power plant on February 24th after starting its invasion into Ukraine.

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The Russian military has captured the area after beginning its invasion into Ukraine.

Chernobyl reactor captured by Russia, fear of radiation spread to EU 01

After battling with Ukrainian forces on three sides, the Russian military has gained control of part of the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, including the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant and the abandoned city of Pripyat. According to Reuters, a Russian security source says the Russian military amassed in the exclusion zone before crossing into Ukraine, and wants to control the nuclear reactor to signal to NATO to not interfere militarily.

"It is impossible to say the Chernobyl nuclear power plant is safe after a totally pointless attack by the Russians. This is one of the most serious threats in Europe today," said Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to the Ukrainian presidential office.

Anton Gerashchenko, an advisor and former deputy minister at the Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs, warned that fighting the vicinity of the power plant runs the risk of disturbing nuclear waste and spreading dangerous radioactive material across Europe. If artillery strikes were to destroy the nuclear waste storage facilities, radioactive dust would threaten Ukraine, Belarus, and other countries in the European Union.

"Russian occupation forces are trying to seize the #Chernobyl_NPP. Our defenders are giving their lives so that the tragedy of 1986 does not happen again. Reported by @SwedishPM. This is a declaration of war on the whole of Europe," a translated tweet by the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy reads.

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Adam grew up watching his dad play Turok 2 and Age of Empires on a PC in his computer room, and learned a love for video games through him. Adam was always working with computers, which helped build his natural affinity for working with them, leading to him building his own at 14, after taking apart and tinkering with other old computers and tech lying around. Adam has always been very interested in STEM subjects, and is always trying to learn more about the world and the way it works.

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