The Russians began withdrawing from the Chernobyl nuclear site

A repositioning, not a true withdrawal. Russian forces begin to leave From the Chernobyl nuclear sitewhich they had took control From the first day of the invasion of Ukraine on February 24, a senior Pentagon official said on Wednesday.

The Russian army began withdrawing from Gostomel airport, northwest of Kyiv, and “Chernobyl is another area where they started changing their positions, leaving Chernobyl to Belarus,” said this senior official, who requested anonymity. “We think they’re leaving, I can’t tell you if they’re all gone,” he added.

20% repositioning of forces

The IAEA has, since March 9, stopped receiving live data from Chernobyl. On Sunday, she was concerned about the lack of employee turnover at the plant since March 20.

Reactor 4 at the plant exploded in 1986, causing the worst civilian nuclear disaster in history. It is covered with a double stone sarcophagus, one of which was built by the Soviets and now damaged, and the other more modern that opened in 2019. The other three reactors were gradually closed after the disaster, the last one in 2000.

Antonov military airfield in Gostomel was attacked by Russian forces on February 25, the day after the start of the invasion of Ukraine. Pentagon spokesman John Kirby also noted that “less than 20%” of Russian forces whose advance on Kyiv was blocked by the Ukrainian resistance “began to reposition” in the direction of Belarus.

don’t calm down

We think they are repositioning in Belarus. “We don’t have an exact number, but this is our preliminary estimate,” Kirby added during a press briefing, noting that none of the units appeared to be leaving the vicinity of Ukraine. He pointed out that “this is not a detail.” If the Russians are serious about de-escalation, as that is what they claim, they will send them home. But that’s not what they do.”

Moscow, which says it wants to focus on the Donbass region, where the breakaway regions of Donetsk and Lugansk are located, has vowed to “drastically reduce its military activity in the direction of Kyiv and Chernigov” in the north of the country. However, John Kirby noted that the bombing did not stop, particularly in the east of the country and around Kyiv.