40 Years After the Meltdown, War Layers Another Disaster on Chernobyl
Four decades after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, the exclusion zone has taken on a new role as a militarized security belt amid the ongoing war with Russia. Ukrainian soldiers are training in the contaminated ruins, preparing for potential renewed incursions after Russian forces briefly occupied the area in 2022. Once considered for economic redevelopment, the zone is now prioritized for defense. The region remains hazardous due to radiation, limiting civilian access and long-term habitation.
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#masthead-section-label, #masthead-bar-one { display: none }Russia-Ukraine WarPreparation for a Longer WarRussia’s Economy‘Donnyland’ ProposalE.U. Loan to UkrainePhotosYou have a preview view of this article while we are checking your access. When we have confirmed access, the full article content will load.40 Years After the Meltdown, War Layers Another Disaster on ChernobylIdeas have been floated for how the contaminated zone could bring economic benefits to Ukraine. But for the foreseeable future, it will be an army-controlled security belt.A Ukrainian soldier taking part in a training exercise in the Chernobyl exclusion zone this month.40 Years After the Meltdown, War Layers Another Disaster on ChernobylIdeas have been floated for how the contaminated zone could bring economic benefits to Ukraine. But for the foreseeable future, it will be an army-controlled security belt.A Ukrainian soldier taking part in a training exercise in the Chernobyl exclusion zone this month.Credit...Supported bySKIP ADVERTISEMENTListen · 9:17 min Share full articleBy Andrew E. Kramer and Evelina RiabenkoPhotographs by Brendan HoffmanReporting from the Chernobyl exclusion zoneApril 26, 2026Vines twirl through the broken windows of long-abandoned homes, where the detritus of lives interrupted by disaster are still scattered about: children’s shoes, dishes, coats hanging on pegs, all covered in lichen and dust.The ghost towns of the Chernobyl exclusion zone in northern Ukraine emptied of people after the catastrophic explosion and meltdown at the nuclear power plant there 40 years ago, on April 26, 1986. High levels of radiation mean humans may never live in them again.But these towns served another purpose for Ukrainian soldiers who recently trained amid the ruins. The troops practiced defending the irradiated land against a repeat Russian attack, taking precautions to avoid the most radioactive areas. In February 2022, Moscow’s forces entered the zone on the first day of the full-scale invasion, and occupied it for five weeks.During the exercise, soldiers crouched beside waterlogged, mold-covered walls, aiming their rifles. Others threw live grenades into homes, chipping walls already crumbling from dry rot. Their presence highlighted a reality in the Chernobyl zone: For the foreseeable future, it will be an army-controlled security belt along the border with Belarus, a Russian ally.ImageThe soldiers’ presence highlighted a reality in the Chernobyl zone: For the foreseeable future, it will be an army-controlled security belt.ImageUkraine’s military must be prepared for any repeat incursion into the Chernobyl zone, after Russian troops occupied it for five weeks in 2022.<div class="css-7axq9l" data-testid="optimistic-truncator-noscript"><svg width="24" height="24" viewBox="0 0 24 24" aria-hidden="true" class="css-1b5b8u1" data-tpl="i"><path fill="currentColor" fill-rule="evenodd" d="M2.5 12a9.5 9.5 0 1 1 19 0 9.5 9.5 0 0 1-19 0Zm8.5 1.75v-7.5h2v7.5h-2Zm0 2v2h2v-2h-2Z" clip-rule="evenodd"></path></svg><div data-testid="optimistic-truncator-noscript-message" class="css-6yo1no"><p class="css-3kpklk" data-tpl="t">We are having trouble retrieving the article content.</p><p class="css-3kpklk" data-tpl="t">Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.</p></div></div>Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we…
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