Radiation normal after fires near Chornobyl
Published: 05:05 PM,May 08,2026 | EDITED : 09:05 PM,May 08,2026
MOSCOW: 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.
Russia and Ukraine accused each other on Friday of violating ceasefires that each has separately declared, as Moscow prepares to hold its annual World War Two victory parade under tight security. Four years since the 2022 Russian attack of Ukraine, the two sides are still pummelling each other with missiles, drones and artillery, with no end to the war in sight. President Vladimir Putin has unilaterally declared a two-day ceasefire on Friday and Saturday to cover the celebrations of the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany — Russia's most revered national holiday.
Kyiv responded that a ceasefire just for the holiday was inappropriate and called instead for an indefinite truce to begin two days earlier, which Moscow ignored. The Russian Defence Ministry said 264 Ukrainian drones had been downed in the early hours of Friday, while Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said the capital had been targeted and officials said the Urals region of Perm had been attacked with drones.
Ukraine said it had struck a Russian oil refinery in Perm for the second day running and hit another oil facility in the city of Yaroslavl. Russia has warned that any attempt by Ukraine to disrupt the Victory Day military parade on Red Square on Saturday would lead to a massive missile strike on Kyiv. Moscow has told foreign diplomats that if Ukraine does attack the event, they should evacuate the Ukrainian capital.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russian forces continued to strike Ukrainian positions overnight, which he said showed Russia has not made 'even a token attempt to cease fire on the front'. 'As we did over the past 24 hours, Ukraine will respond in kind today as well. We will defend our positions and people's lives', Zelensky said. Ukranian drone commander Robert Brovdi acknowledged in comments to The Guardian that a 'symbolic' attack on Red Square would generate headlines around the world but said Ukraine would probably deliver a 'slap in the face' where Russia’s air defences were weaker. 'Why waste drones on the ‘great wall’”, he said, referring to the enhanced security around Moscow. 'If you hit the energy sector or military that’s the best strike, on the periphery'. The Kremlin has said Russia is stepping up security around Putin in case of a Ukrainian attack on the event, at which Putin will give a speech. He is later due to meet visiting foreign dignitaries, including from Laos, Malaysia and Slovakia.
Meanwhile, Ukraine is running short of air defence missiles after Russia's massive winter attack campaign, the country's air force said on Friday, as it braces for further strikes. 'Today, the launchers assigned to certain units and batteries are half-empty — and that's putting it mildly. They have a limited number of missiles', air force spokesperson Yuriy Ihnat was quoted as saying by the Ukrinform news agency.
Ukraine has used domestically developed technologies to down long-range Russian drones, including interceptor drones, mobile gun units and electronic warfare. But for missile interception, it remains heavily dependent on foreign air defence systems. During more than four years of war, Ukraine has faced delays and disruptions to air defence deliveries from allies. With such systems now also being used extensively in the US-Israeli war in Iran, Ukraine is under increased supply pressure. 'Today we have found ourselves on short rations when it comes to missiles due to certain supply problems', Ihnat said. He added that Ukraine has had to ask allies for as few as five to 10 missiles at a time for systems such as NASAMS and IRIS-T. — Reuters