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The head of the UN’s atomic agency said Tuesday that radiation levels are “abnormal” at the site of the Chernobyl nuclear power station, which was the scene of the world’s worst nuclear disaster on this day 36 years ago. There has been speculation that the site was mismanaged while under the control of Russian forces in the first days of the invasion of Ukraine. The former power station, which is still actively managed by a staggering 2,400 staff tasked with ensuring its ongoing safety, was the scene of weeks of fighting, during which time 100 employees were held hostage and, according to some reports, struggled to do their jobs. Rafael Grossi told reporters at a “Chernobyl Day” conference that Russia’s occupation of the site was “very, very dangerous,” the BBC reported. It has previously been reported that radiation levels spiked at the site due to military equipment kicking up contaminated dust.
