Editing Chernobyl (section)

===Independent Ukrainian era (1991–present)===
{{More citations needed section|date=February 2022}}
With the [[dissolution of the Soviet Union]] in 1991, Chernobyl remained part of [[Ukraine]] within the [[Chernobyl Exclusion Zone]] which Ukraine inherited from the [[Soviet Union]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Davies |first=Thom |last2=Polese |first2=Abel |date=2015-01-01 |title=Informality and survival in Ukraine's nuclear landscape: Living with the risks of Chernobyl |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1879366514000232 |journal=Journal of Eurasian Studies |volume=6 |issue=1 |pages=34–45 |doi=10.1016/j.euras.2014.09.002 |issn=1879-3665}}</ref>

==== 2022 Russian occupation of Chernobyl ====
{{Main|Capture of Chernobyl}}

During the [[Russian invasion of Ukraine]], Russian forces [[Capture of Chernobyl|captured the city]] on 24 February.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Russia captures Chernobyl power plant after battle with Ukrainian forces|url=https://www.thejournal.ie/russia-captures-chernobyl-5692876-Feb2022/|date=24 February 2022|access-date=24 February 2022|work=[[TheJournal.ie]]|agency=[[Agence France-Presse|AFP]]|archive-date=24 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220224202250/https://www.thejournal.ie/russia-captures-chernobyl-5692876-Feb2022/|url-status=live}}</ref> Following the capture of Chernobyl, the Russian army used the city as a staging point for attacks on Kyiv.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Kramer |first1=Andrew E. |last2=Prickett |first2=Ivor |date=2022-04-08 |title=Russian Blunders in Chernobyl: 'They Came and Did Whatever They Wanted' |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/08/world/europe/ukraine-chernobyl.html |access-date=2024-08-06 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Ukrainian officials reported that the radiation levels in the city had started to rise due to recent military activity causing radioactive dust to ascend into the air.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Polityuk|first1=Pavel|last2=Crellin|first2=Forrest|title=Ukraine reports higher Chernobyl radiation after Russians capture plant|url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukraine-nuclear-agency-reports-higher-chernobyl-radiation-levels-due-heavy-2022-02-25|access-date=26 February 2022|work=Reuters|date=25 February 2022|language=en|archive-date=26 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220226005304/https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukraine-nuclear-agency-reports-higher-chernobyl-radiation-levels-due-heavy-2022-02-25/|url-status=live}}</ref> Hundreds of Russian soldiers were suffering from [[radiation poisoning]] after digging trenches in a contaminated area, and one died.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2022/04/01/russian-soldier-dies-radiation-poisoning-chernobyl/|work=The Telegraph|date=1 April 2022|accessdate=1 April 2022|first=James |last=Kilner|title=Russian soldier dies from radiation poisoning at Chernobyl}}</ref> On 31 March it was reported that Russian forces had left the exclusion zone.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/3444941-russian-invaders-leaving-chornobyl-npp-energoatom.html|title=Russian invaders leaving Chornobyl NPP – Energoatom|date=31 March 2022 }}</ref> Ukrainian authorities reasserted control over the area on 2 April.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://edition.cnn.com/europe/live-news/ukraine-russia-putin-news-04-2-22#h_8ced7c0e79f27958c6ce12f4895d5228|title = Ukrainian flag raised over Chernobyl, nuclear operator says|date = 2 April 2022}}</ref>