China News Service, April 28. Every year, April 26 is the International Chernobyl Disaster Remembrance Day.
On the same day, the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Grossi, and his team came to the nuclear power plant to conduct a thorough assessment of the radiation level and operation here.
The Chernobyl nuclear power plant has attracted worldwide attention due to a catastrophic accident.
Just 36 years after the catastrophe of the century, the conflict between Russia and Ukraine once again shrouded Chernobyl in the shadows, making headlines frequently.
Data map: Chernobyl nuclear power plant exclusion zone.
On February 24, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine, and the conflict once spread to the Chernobyl nuclear power plant and surrounding areas.
The changes in radiation values, the progress of safety maintenance work, and the communication of the monitoring system have been closely followed by the global media, and even more so on social media.
There is no reason why it has attracted global attention because the disaster 36 years ago was so tragic.
In 1986, Unit 4 of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant suddenly exploded, killing 31 people on the spot. A radioactive cloud covered most of the Soviet Union at that time, nearly 8.4 million people were exposed to radiation, and about 350,000 people were forced to leave the heavily polluted area. home.
After 36 years, neither Russia nor Ukraine wants disaster to strike again.
On March 31, Russian troops withdrew from the Chernobyl exclusion zone, which had been under control for five weeks, and handed over control of the nuclear power plant to Ukraine in writing.
On April 10, the Ukrainian side carried out the second rotation of on-site staff since the conflict, replacing the technical and security personnel who had been on duty for several weeks.
However, during this period, the "offensive and defensive war" between the two sides around Chernobyl never stopped.
Ukraine accused the Chernobyl nuclear power plant due to damage to the power supply line, has been completely cut off, there is a danger of leakage of nuclear radiation.
The Russian side said that the Russian military and Ukrainian experts are jointly monitoring the situation of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, and the local radiation status is normal.
The war of public opinion and information has once again shrouded the sky over the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.
Data map: Around the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.
On the eve of this year's "International Chernobyl Disaster Remembrance Day", Ukrainians lit candles and placed flowers in memory of the victims of the accident.
In Russia, commemorations of "cleaners" have been launched all over the country. These people have entered the restricted area one after another in the days to several years after the disaster, and paid a great price for cleaning up the accident site.
On the anniversary, IAEA President Grossi also led a delegation to Chernobyl.
"It is emotional to travel to Chernobyl today and recall the tragic events of 1986," he said.
The IAEA will continue to provide support to Ukraine.
Grossi and his party brought special safety equipment when visiting the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. They also paid tribute to those who lost their lives in the nuclear accident that occurred 36 years ago, and laid a wreath at the memorial ceremony.
Today, the dark clouds over Chernobyl seem to have cleared, but how long will the shadow of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict last?
No one has an answer yet.