Editing Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant (section)

=== 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine ===
{{main|Capture of Chernobyl|l1 = Battle of Chernobyl}}

The Chernobyl Exclusion Zone was the site of fighting between Russian and Ukrainian forces during the [[Capture of Chernobyl|Battle of Chernobyl]] as part of the [[2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine|Russian invasion of Ukraine]]. On 24 February 2022, Russian forces captured the plant.<ref name="AAUfZWmChernobyl">{{cite web |title=Chernobyl nuclear power plant under control of Russian troops, says Ukrainian President |url=https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/newslondon/chernobyl-nuclear-power-plant-under-control-of-russian-troops-says-ukrainian-president/ar-AAUfZWm |website=MSN |access-date=24 February 2022 |archive-date=25 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220225025927/https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/newslondon/chernobyl-nuclear-power-plant-under-control-of-russian-troops-says-ukrainian-president/ar-AAUfZWm |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Zelenskyy |first=Volodymyr |date=February 24, 2022 |title=Ukraine President on Twitter |url=https://twitter.com/zelenskyyua/status/1496862540957114370 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220224151756/https://twitter.com/zelenskyyua/status/1496862540957114370 |archive-date=2022-02-24 |access-date=2022-02-24 |website=Twitter |language=en}}<br />{{cite news |title=Russian forces trying to seize control of Chernobyl Nuclear Plant in Ukraine, says President Zelensky |url=https://www.aninews.in/news/world/asia/russian-forces-trying-to-seize-control-of-chernobyl-nuclear-plant-in-ukraine-says-president-zelensky20220224212625/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220224172356/https://www.aninews.in/news/world/asia/russian-forces-trying-to-seize-control-of-chernobyl-nuclear-plant-in-ukraine-says-president-zelensky20220224212625/ |archive-date=24 February 2022 |access-date=24 February 2022 |work=ANI News |language=en}}<br />{{cite news |title=Chernobyl power plant captured by Russian forces – Ukrainian official |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/chernobyl-power-plant-captured-by-russian-forces-ukrainian-official-2022-02-24/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220224174356/https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/chernobyl-power-plant-captured-by-russian-forces-ukrainian-official-2022-02-24/ |archive-date=2022-02-24 |access-date=24 February 2022 |website=Reuters |language=en}}<br />{{Cite web |author=Sangal |first1=Aditi |last2=Wagner |first2=Meg |last3=Vogt |first3=Adrienne |last4=Macaya |first4=Melissa |last5=Picheta |first5=Rob |last6=Said-Moorhouse |first6=Lauren |last7=Upright |first7=Ed |last8=Chowdhury |first8=Maureen |date=2022-02-24 |title=Russian troops seize Chernobyl nuclear power plant, Ukrainian official says |url=https://www.cnn.com/europe/live-news/ukraine-russia-news-02-24-22-intl/h_438d63764e04c5907533d2c095e73cfd |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220224182927/https://www.cnn.com/europe/live-news/ukraine-russia-news-02-24-22-intl/h_438d63764e04c5907533d2c095e73cfd |archive-date=2022-02-24 |access-date=2022-02-24 |website=CNN |language=en-us}}</ref> The resulting activity reportedly led to a 20-fold increase of detected radiation levels in the area due to disturbance of contaminated soil.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gill |first=Victoria |date=2022-02-25 |title=Chernobyl: Radiation spike at nuclear plant seized by Russian forces |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-60528828 |website=BBC |language=en |access-date=2022-02-25 |archive-date=2022-02-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220225165134/https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-60528828 |url-status=live }}</ref>

On 9 March 2022, there was a power cut at the plant itself. No radiation leaks were reported at the time. However, Ukrainian authorities reported that there was a risk of a radiation leak due to spent fuel coolant being unable to circulate properly.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-03-09 |title=Chernobyl 'cut off from grid', sparking fears over cooling of spent nuclear fuel |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/ukraine-chernobyl-nuclear-power-plant-outage-b2031874.html |access-date=2022-03-09 |website=The Independent |language=en}}</ref>

On 31 March 2022, Russian forces formally handed control of the plant back to its employees, and most occupying forces withdrew. [[Ukrainian National Guard]] personnel were moved to [[Belarus]] as [[prisoners of war]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-03-31 |title=Ukraine: Second UN convoy reaches Sumy, Mariupol access thwarted |url=https://news.un.org/en/story/2022/03/1115252 |website=UN News |language=en |access-date=2022-04-01}}</ref><ref name="11648764981Chernobyl">{{Cite news |last1=Tashkevych |first1=Yana |last2=Marson |first2=James |last3=Hinshaw |first3=Drew |title=Russia Hands Control of Chernobyl Back to Ukraine, Officials Say |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/russia-hands-control-of-chernobyl-back-to-ukraine-officials-say-11648764981 |access-date=2024-05-22 |work=WSJ |language=en-US}}</ref> On 2 April 2022, Ukrainian media reported that the [[flag of Ukraine]] was raised at the plant.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ukrainian flag was raised at the Chornobyl nuclear power plant |url=https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2022/04/2/7336590/ |access-date=2024-05-22 |website=Ukrainska Pravda |language=en}}</ref>

Russian troops dug trenches and other fighting positions on the outskirts of the highly contaminated [[Red Forest]], which attracted considerable media attention due to unconfirmed reports that soldiers were being treated for radiation sickness in [[Belarus]].<ref name="Chernoby60945666"/> The IAEA later clarified that only modest radiation doses (6.5 mSv/year) could have resulted from such activities, and a tour guide in the Zone later acknowledged to the Washington Post that he had helped start these rumors in a "huge exaggeration." 

On 14 February 2025, Ukrainian president [[Volodymyr Zelenskyy]] said that a [[Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant drone strike|Russian drone attack]] significantly damaged the Chernobyl [[New Safe Confinement]], which covers the sarcophagus and Unit No. 4.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Russian drone attack damages Chernobyl nuclear plant’s shelter, Zelensky says|url=https://www.theage.com.au/world/europe/russian-drone-attack-damages-chernobyl-nuclear-plant-s-shelter-zelensky-says-20250214-p5lcbh.html |access-date=2025-02-14 |via=The Age|language=en|agency=[[Reuters]]}}</ref> The [[IAEA]] said that radiation levels at the site remained normal.<ref>{{Cite web |title=A drone pierced the outer shell of Ukraine’s Chernobyl nuclear plant. Radiation levels are normal |url=https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-chernobyl-zelenskyy-71d781dbd66754d0a548edd388f3447a |access-date=2025-02-15 |work=[[AP News]]|author1=Illia Novikov |author2=Efrem Lukatsky |language=en}}</ref>