Chernobyl – the worst nuclear disaster in history in April 1986 – is now under Russian control. After a catastrophic leak spewed radioactive waste over thousands of square kilometers, the facility is now protected by a protective shell. It is located just north of Chernobyl town near the city of Pripyat. Thousands of people evacuated both Chernobyl and Pripyat as a result of the terrible nuclear accident, and the actual death toll remains unknown.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukraine’s president, said that after the Russian forces had captured the area the Ukrainian forces were fighting to ensure that the horrors of 1986 would not repeat themselves. He continued, “… our defenders are giving their lives… this is a declaration of war against all of Europe.”
Why is Russia in control of Chernobyl?
- Its former self – Chernobyl – is now a shell of its former self in northern Ukraine, just 10 miles away from the Belarusian border, which is one of Russia’s most important allies. According to military experts, Russia captured Chernobyl simply because it was among the fastest routes for invading forces.
- It was considered an easy target because Chernobyl is so close to the border and also because of the 2,600 square kilometer ‘exclusion zone’ that surrounds the area. Security along the perimeter of the ‘exclusion zone’ is much weaker than at other points along the Ukrainian international border.
- Jack Keane, the former chief of the US army, said Chernobyl has “no military significance,” but its location is critical for Russia’s “decapitation” strategy to remove the Ukrainian government, which is widely viewed as Putin’s ultimate objective.
- Russian forces have used four ‘axes’ to invade Ukraine: a second vector from Belarus, a southward advance into Kharkiv, and a northward push from Crimea into Kherson.
- The importance of Chernobyl is also attributed to its proximity to Kiev; the city is just 130 kilometers from Ukraine’s capital.
- According to Reuters, a Russian military source said the capture of Chernobyl was a signal from Russian President Vladimir Putin to the West and NATO not to interfere with his plans.
- Reuters reports that James Acton of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace think tank said Russia did not capture the plant to protect it. “It was the quickest way from A to B.”
Did Putin capture Chernobyl to use it as a weapon? Given that he smart enough when the wind is in the right direction he could blow it up or threaten to or lay the blame on the Ukraine forces. Given he has threatened to use atomic weapons against anyone who interferes with his invasion Chernobyl is just another atomic weapon. He seems demented far worse than Trump.