On Wednesday, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense published a video, which it says proves that Russian forces dug trenches and fortifications near the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, during their occupation of the region, threatening a radiological disaster.
The Ukrainian authorities accused Russia of endangering the lives of workers by digging fortifications in the “Red Forest”, the most polluted area, in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone.
ويظهر the video Which appears to have been filmed by a drone, looks dug-out ground, in an area only about two miles from the site of the Chernobyl nuclear accident in 1986.
The text attached to the tweet, which was published on Twitter, read: “Video evidence, the Russian command ordered its soldiers to dig fortifications near the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in the radioactive red forest in March 2022.”
Video proof. russian command did order its soldiers to dig fortifications near the Chornobyl nuclear power plant in the radioactive Red Forest in March, 2022. Complete neglect of human life, even of one’s own subordinates, is what a killer-state looks like. pic.twitter.com/VLjNTaW3T3
— Defence of Ukraine (@DefenceU) April 6, 2022
And the Ukrainian Defense Ministry considered that this Russian behavior “shows a complete disregard for human life, and shows what a murderous country looks like.”
Russian forces left the site last week, five weeks after occupying the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone on February 24.
The Ukrainian state electricity company, Energoatom, had previously stated that the Russian forces dug trenches during their occupation of the area, and that its workers “are very likely to have been exposed to significant radioactive contamination.”
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said that Russia acted “irresponsibly at all levels”, especially by obstructing the work of the station’s crews and digging “trenches in areas contaminated” with radiation.
“The Russian government will have to respond to the mothers, sisters and wives of its soldiers, and explain to them why it forced them to take such risks,” he added.
For its part, the International Atomic Energy Agency said it was investigating the Ukrainian allegations.