Russia says radiation levels are normal after fires near Chornobyl


A bus drives on a road covered with anti-drone net near the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv region, Ukraine April 26, 2026. REUTERS/Alina Smutko/File Photo

MOSCOW, May ⁠8 (Reuters) - Russia said on Friday ⁠that it was carrying out ‌enhanced radiation monitoring after fires in the exclusion zone around the Chornobyl nuclear power ​plant in Ukraine but ⁠that there was ⁠no excess radiation.

"The radiation situation in ⁠the ‌Russian Federation remains stable," Russia's national public health ⁠agency said.

The 1986 Chornobyl disaster is ​considered ‌to be the world's worst civil ⁠nuclear ​accident. The accident spread Iodine-131, Caesium-134 and Caesium-137 across parts of ⁠Ukraine, Belarus, Russia, northern and ​central Europe.

Ukraine's emergency services said that firefighters are extinguishing fires in the ⁠exclusion area around the Chornobyl plant. Ukrainian officials said the radiation levels were normal.

Firefighters in Ukraine said ​the situation was ⁠complicated by strong winds and landmines ​in the area.

(Reporting by ‌Reuters in Moscow ​and Kyiv, Writing by Anna Peverieri; editing by Guy Faulconbridge)

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