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Chernobyl marks 40th anniversary amid new threats and Russian occupation
via Punch Nigeria3 min read
Ukraine is observing the 40th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant explosion, the worst civilian nuclear disaster in history. The 1986 incident, caused by human error during a safety test in reactor number four, released a radioactive plume that contaminated Ukraine, Belarus, Russia, and spread across Europe. The International Atomic Energy Agency attributed the disaster to severe deficiencies in reactor design and shutdown systems, combined with operational procedure violations. Estimates of deaths from radiation exposure vary, with a 2005 UN report citing 4,000 in the three most affected countries, while Greenpeace in 2006 estimated close to 100,000. Some 600,000 "liquidators" involved in the clean-up were exposed to high radiation levels. The plant was occupied by Russian forces on the first day of the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, raising fears of another catastrophic nuclear event. Russian soldiers dug trenches in the Red Forest, an area named for trees discolored by radiation. The Russian army withdrew about a month into the war. The plant's remains are covered by a sarcophagus, with a newer New Safe Confinement installed in 2016-2017. A Russian drone strike in February 2025 punctured the outer shell, compromising its ability to contain radiation, with repairs expected to take three to four years. The plant director warned in December 2025 that another Russian strike could cause the radiation shelter to collapse. The exclusion zone around the plant, covering ove
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