The radiation situation throughout Europe may worsen due to fires in the Chernobyl zone – SNRIU
The radiation situation throughout Europe may worsen due to fires in the Chernobyl zone – SNRIU (State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine)
In the Chernobyl exclusion zone, captured by Russian troops, forest fires are recorded. It is not yet possible to extinguish them due to the temporary occupation of the territory.
This was reported in the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine.
According to the Inspectorate, in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone and beyond, there is now a deterioration in the radiation status due to forest fires in radioactively contaminated areas.
During March 11-18, fires were observed mainly in the western and central parts of the Chernobyl zone. They lead to an increase in the level of radioactive air pollution.
– Extinguishing fires is impossible due to the occupation of the Exclusion Zone by Russian troops, – said in the Inspectorate .
The State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine. warns that if the current situation persists, it will provoke a significant deterioration of the radiation situation in the Chornobyl zone and far beyond – in the near future – not only in Ukraine but also in other countries.
Several reasons can worsen the situation:
- Currently, the automated radiation monitoring system does not work in the Chornobyl zone. Therefore, there is no information about the current state of radiation pollution.
- Fire services are not able to extinguish forest fires in the Chornobyl zone due to its capture by Russian troops.
- Forest fires now, in the cold season, are an atypical phenomenon for the Exclusion Zone. And in the warm period, fires can reach such an intensity that it will significantly worsen the radiation situation throughout Europe.
– There is a high probability that in the spring and summer the intensity of forest fires in the Exclusion Zone may reach the maximum possible limits, which will lead (in the absence of any fire measures) to almost complete burning of radioactively contaminated forests in the Exclusion Zone and, accordingly, to significant deterioration of the radiation situation in Ukraine and throughout Europe, – stressed in the Inspectorate .
What is known about the capture of the Chernobyl zone by Russian troops
On the first day of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, February 24, Russian troops seized the Chernobyl nuclear power plant and facilities in the Exclusion Zone.
Monitoring the state of nuclear and radiation safety at the NPP and in the Chornobyl zone is impossible, as is the control of nuclear materials.
Russian troops have repeatedly shut down a high-voltage power line that supplies power to the Chernobyl NPP and the city of Slavutych.
Since February 24, there has been no rotation of Chernobyl personnel. The employees of the station were physically and morally exhausted. The rotation was carried out on March 20 after about 600 hours of staff work.
After the capture of the Chornobyl zone by Russian troops, forest fires began to be recorded there. There were suggestions that the fire was caused by armed aggression by the Russian Federation (shelling) or arson.
The Chernobyl personnel has not been rotated since February 24. The employees of the station were physically and morally exhausted. The rotation was carried out on March 20 after about 600 hours of staff work.
After the capture of the Chornobyl zone by Russian troops, forest fires began to be recorded there. There were suggestions that the fire was caused by armed aggression by the Russian Federation (shelling) or arson.
Source: State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine.
