Details the occupation of the Chernobyl plant by Russian forces, the ordeal of trapped staff, and the site’s return to Ukrainian control.
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The article recounts the experience of plant workers who were effectively held hostage during the Russian occupation of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Upon Russian seizure of the site, normal safety procedures, such as shift rotation, collapsed. Workers remained on duty under armed supervision for weeks, maintaining critical systems despite the abnormal and stressful conditions. The occupation introduced new risks, including military activity in the radioactive Red Forest. Workers faced severe restrictions on movement and communication, with information being controlled by a single point of contact. The situation worsened when the plant lost external power, threatening cooling systems. The occupation ended in late March 2022 as Russian forces retreated from Kyiv, looting equipment and leaving the plant under Ukrainian control. The article also notes that Ukrainian National Guard soldiers stationed at the plant were taken as prisoners of war.
