The Russian army has taken control of the city of Slavoutitch, where the staff of the Chernobyl power plant reside, Ukrainian regional authorities said on Saturday. An occupation that has sparked pro-Ukrainian demonstrations.
“The Russian occupiers have invaded Slavoutitch and occupied the municipal hospital”, wrote on Telegram the military administration of the kyiv region, which includes this city of 25,000 inhabitants 160 km north of the capital, built after the accident. of Chernobyl in 1986.
Residents of Slavutitch took to the streets unfurling a huge Ukrainian blue and yellow flag and headed for the hospital, regional authorities said, adding that Russian forces were firing into the air and throwing stun grenades into the street. crowd.
The mayor of the city was arrested
The regional administration posted images on its Telegram account showing dozens of people gathered around the Ukrainian flag chanting “Glory to Ukraine”. “According to the latest information, the mayor of the city, Yuri Fomichev has been captured,” she also said.
The Chernobyl plant was taken by the Russian army on February 24, the first day of the invasion of Ukraine. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) expressed its “concern” on Thursday, after being informed by the Ukrainian authorities of bombings on Slavoutitch.
These developments come just days after the first rotation of employees who have managed day-to-day operations at the radioactive waste site since the start of the invasion. For nearly four weeks, a hundred Ukrainian technicians had to manage the daily operations on the radioactive waste site without being relieved.
