Ukraine presents photos showing the opening of Russian holes in the radioactive area of Chernobyl

Evgen Kramarenko, director of the Ukrainian state agency that manages the restricted area around the Chernobyl plant, sent photos to the Voice of America on Wednesday, saying he had taken them himself during a visit to the plant with several of his colleagues the previous day.

It was the first visit to the country by Mr. Kramarenko's team since Russian troops withdrew from the plant and the surrounding area on March 31st, ending the takeover that began on February 24th, when Moscow launched a full aggression against its neighbour.

In a telephone interview with Voice of America, Mr. Kramarenko said that the photos show accounts that Russian troops opened using heavy machinery in a grass field covering radioactive land near reactor No. Four destroyed of the Chernobyl plant.

The explosion of that reactor on April 26, 1986, was the world's worst nuclear accident, killing 31 people from the immediate blast and forcing hundreds of thousands of people to evacuate from surrounding communities, including Belarus. The restricted area, created after the accident, lies some 20 miles [30 km] from the Chernobyl plant.

The tracks from heavy vehicles can be seen in some of the account photos.

The pictures are the first non-s satellite images from a Ukrainian government source to confirm the numerous reports published last week, that Russian invading troops opened holes, producing radioactive dust.

In a March 31st statement, Energoatom, the Ukrainian state company that operates the factory, said Russian troops were exposed to the significant “doses of radiation” and withdrew from the country in panic from early signs of the disease.

The Voice of America cannot independently verify the state of health of Russian troops that occupied the Chernobyl plant and later withdrew to Belarus, a key Russian ally who has allowed Moscow to use its territory to attack Ukraine. Russia has been silent about the troop situation.

Belarus-based scientific journalist Sirhei Besarab told the Voice of America that the area around reactor No. 4 of Chernobyl is contaminated with the three most common types of radiation - alpha particles, beta particles, and gamma - rayed soil.

In view of what we know about the area where Russian soldiers were digging, it is the most concentrated point with all three types of radiation,” said Mr. Besarab.

The level of poisoning from the soldiers' radiation would depend on the time they spent in the area and the kind of contact they had, he added.

Mr. Kramarenko said Russian soldiers who inhaled radioactive dust may experience a deterioration of chronic diseases or new health problems in months and years to come.

“If Russians who withdrew to Belarus received radioactive particles in their military clothes and equipment, this also creates a health problem for anyone approaching those facilities,” said Mr. Kramarenko.

Earlier Wednesday, the Ukraine Ministry of Defence posted videos on Twitter from a fear that said it showed an airblower view that was opened by Russians near the Chernobyl plant.