Ukraine's Nuclear Agency Reports Higher Chernobyl Radiation After Russian Military Takeover

Higher gamma radiation levels have been detected in the Chernobyl zone, the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate said on Friday, AP reported.

File Photo: AP

Kyiv: Ukraine’s nuclear energy regulatory agency has said that higher than usual gamma radiation levels have been detected in the area near the decommissioned Chernobyl nuclear plant.

This took place after it was seized by the Russian military.

Higher gamma radiation levels have been detected in the Chernobyl zone, the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate said on Friday, AP reported.

The State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate, however, did not provide details of the increase and attributed the rise to a “disturbance of the topsoil due to the movement of a large amount of heavy military equipment through the exclusion zone and the release of contaminated radioactive dust into the air”.

The Russian airborne troops, according to Defense Ministry spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov, were protecting the plant to prevent any possible “provocations”.

Major General Konashenkov asserted that radiation levels in the area have remained normal.

The Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency said it was told by Ukraine of the takeover, adding there had been “no casualties or destruction at the industrial site”.

International Criminal Court Prosecutor Karim Khan said he is “closely following recent developments in and around Ukraine with increasing concern”.

He warned “all sides conducting hostilities on the territory of Ukraine” that Ukraine has accepted the court’s jurisdiction.

Khan further said his office does not have jurisdiction over the crime of aggression in the conflict because neither Russia nor Ukraine are member states of the court.

Set up in 2002 to prosecute atrocities in the countries where local authorities are unable or unwilling to conduct trials, the International Criminal Court is the world’s permanent war crimes court.