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The "Sarcophagus" which contains the Chernobyl nuclear reactor Alamy Stock Photo

Russia captures Chernobyl power plant after battle with Ukrainian forces

There were reports of a battle in Chernobyl earlier today.

RUSSIAN TROOPS HAVE captured the Chernobyl nuclear power plant this evening after a battle with Ukrainian troops.

There were reports of a battle taking place at the power plant this afternoon, with footage showing Russian soldiers in position near the facility.

In a statement this evening, an advisor to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the country’s control over the site was lost after a “fierce battle”.

“After the absolutely senseless attack of the Russians in this direction, it is impossible to say that the Chernobyl nuclear power plant is safe. This is one of the most serious threats to Europe today,” said Mykhailo Podolyak.

Earlier today, Zelensky said that the attacks on Chernobyl by Russia was a “declaration of war on all of Europe”.

Russian troops entered Chernobyl from Belarus, according to the Ukrainian government, who said that they were fought by the national guard who protect the radioactive waste storage.

Chernobyl itself is only 134 kilometres away from the Ukrainian capital city of Kyiv, which was hit by bombing earlier today following the commencement of attacks on Ukraine.

Chernobyl was the site of the world’s worst nuclear disaster, after a botched safety test of the fourth reactor in 1986.

An airfield close to Kyiv was captured by Russian forces earlier today, with Zelensky vowing to retake the site in a video address earlier this afternoon.

“Enemy paratroopers have been blocked in Gostomel — our troops have been given the order to destroy them,” Zelensky said.

With reporting by AFP

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    Mute Tim Henchin
    Favourite Tim Henchin
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    Nov 16th 2011, 9:01 AM

    ………. what is the betting that not one of them will have a legitimate mandate. We live in a post-democratic age, it is disturbing to see how many accepted this.

    We have the man who fudged Greece’s books, so they could get in to the Euro, while he was the head of their banking system made leader. It is like having Sean Fitzpatrick rammed in as leader of this state by Europe.

    It will either go down in history as the start of a dark but temporary blot on European democratic history or else as a great day for Europe, written by our new technocratic masters in the future, the corporatization of the continent. There used to be a name for the merging of corporate power and State control in to one entity. A predecessor of this man invented it.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnTOiso08HM

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    Mute Uncle Mort
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    Nov 16th 2011, 9:40 AM

    Good link Tim,thanks for sharing it.
    The mention of the ‘intense talks’ by Monti begs the question as the what bribes were offered, by bribes I mean offers of position and power.

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