Moscow Sends Note to IAEA Regarding Fake News About Russian Actions in Chernobyl

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The Russian Permanent Mission to the International Organizations in Vienna said it has sent a note to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Secretariat because of the dissemination of fakes about the actions of the Russian Armed Forces at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant (NPP).

“In connection to the fact that some media are distributing fake news regarding actions by the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation at the ChNPP the Permanent Mission of the Russian Federation has sent a note verbale to the IAEA Secretariat,” the statement on the mission’s website read.

In particular, the mission noted that the video "Ukrainians shocked by ‘crazy’ scene at Chernobyl after Russian pullout reveals radioactive contamination," published by CNN on April 9, is fake and shows the dosimeter reading of 0.58 microsieverts per hour in the room where the Russian servicemen had allegedly stayed.

“For comparison, natural radiation levels in different parts of the world are from 0,1 to 1,0 µSv (microsieverts)/hour (in Moscow – 0,1-0,3 µSv/hour; in Helsinki – 0,2-0,6 µSv/hour). After 30 days of 24-hour irradiation with dose rate of 0,58 µSv/hour the accumulated effective dose would reach approximately 0,4 mSv. This is less that the half of the permissible annual dose for population (1 mSv), 50 times less than the permissible annual dose for nuclear workers (20 mSv) and is comparable to the dose received after one chest X-ray procedure (0,3 mSv),” the statement read.

The mission added that in the mentioned video the CNN correspondent and his team are in the room in casual shoes, without respiratory and hand protection which indicates their awareness of the lack of real danger.

“Statements on damage allegedly caused by Russian military personnel to facilities located on the site of the ChNPP, that was left by the Russian Armed Forces of the Russian Federation March 31, 2022, are not consistent with the reality either. The photos taken during the time when the Russian military forces were staying at the ChNPP are attached. They demonstrate working condition of premises of the ChNPP and the Analytical Laboratory “Ecocenter”, as well as normal radiation levels at the site and the fact that documentation, including archives, was preserved in due condition,” the mission concluded.

On February 25, the Russian airborne forces took control over the Chernobyl NPP. Russian troops and Ukrainian soldiers of the NPP guard battalion reached an agreement to jointly secure power units and sarcophagus of the NPP to ensure that nationalist formations or other terrorist organizations will not be able to take advantage of the current situation in Ukraine to organize a nuclear provocation. On April 2, IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said that Russia had confirmed the withdrawal of its forces from the Chernobyl NPP.

On February 24, Russia launched a military operation in Ukraine after the breakaway republics of Donetsk and Lugansk appealed for help in defending themselves against Ukrainian provocations. Moscow said that the aim of its special operation is to demilitarize and de-Nazify Ukraine.