Fighting breaks out near Chernobyl, leading to fears of nuclear contamination over Europe

Ukrainian troops train near Chernobyl
(Image credit: SERGEI SUPINSKY/AFP via Getty Images)

Russian troops have pushed into the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone — "one of the most radioactive places on Earth" — with shelling reportedly threatening buried nuclear waste storage sites, The Kyiv Independent reports based on comments by Anton Herashchenko, an advisor to the Ukrainian Interior Ministry.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the breach, tweeting that "our defenders are giving their lives so that the tragedy of 1986 will not be repeated … This is a declaration of war against the whole of Europe." A radiation safety expert who previously spoke with i explained that if "sensitive facilities" in Ukraine are hit, "radiation could contaminate air, soil, and waterways, affecting not only Ukraine but also Russia and much of Europe."

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Jeva Lange

Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.