The White House expressed horror at Russian military forces seizing the infamous Chernobyl nuclear power plant and its staff as part of the invasion of Ukraine.
“We are outraged by credible reports that Russian soldiers are currently holding the staff of the Chernobyl facilities hostage,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters Thursday.
“This unlawful and dangerous hostage-taking, which could upend the routine civil service efforts required to maintain and protect the nuclear waste facilities, is obviously incredibly alarming and deeply concerning,” she added. “We condemn it and request their release.”
In 1986, the world saw the biggest technological disaster in Chornobyl. ??’s attack on Ukraine may cause another ecological disaster moving its military forces to Chornobyl. If ??continues the war, Chornobyl can happen again in 2022. #StopRussianAggression #RussiaInvadedUkraine pic.twitter.com/WOdmOfPmhx
— MFA of Ukraine ?? (@MFA_Ukraine) February 24, 2022
Located 80 miles from Ukraine’s capital of Kyiv, the power plant in Chernobyl was the site of an explosion in 1986 that brought about the world’s worst nuclear disaster.
Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said earlier that the plant had been captured but stressed that it was “impossible to say the Chernobyl nuclear power plant is safe.” An unnamed official told the Associated Press that shelling from Russian forces hit a radioactive waste repository at Chernobyl, and a rise in radiation levels had been reported. The report said the increase could not immediately be corroborated.
NEW: Official tells @AP Russian shelling hit a radioactive waste repository at Chernobyl, and an increase in radiation levels have been reported. pic.twitter.com/p1jyiOTAVB
— Alex Salvi (@alexsalvinews) February 25, 2022
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Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs warned that Russia’s “attack on Ukraine may cause another ecological disaster moving its military forces to” Chernobyl and added that “if [Russia] continues the war, [Chernobyl] can happen again in 2022.”
