Following the withdrawal of Russian forces, the Ukrainian flag has been hoisted over the Chernobyl nuclear power facility, according to the state corporation in charge of nuclear power plants on Saturday.

“Today, April 2, at 11:00, Ukrainian flag was raised over the Chernobyl NPP and the anthem was sung,” Energoatom said on Telegram.

“The entire staff of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, which has worked heroically in the harsh conditions of the occupation since February 24 and provided nuclear and radiation safety at the station and nearby facilities, was present at the ceremony,” the statement added.

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In 1986, the world’s biggest nuclear tragedy occurred at Chernobyl.

On April 26, that year, an explosion swept through Chernobyl’s No. 4 reactor, killing 30 people instantly. Countless others perished as a result of radiation-related illnesses in the years that followed.

The factory and its surrounding region were captured by Russian troops in late February, during the first week of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

“It was confirmed that the occupiers, who seized the Chernobyl nuclear power plant and other facilities in the Exclusion Zone, marched in two columns towards the Ukrainian border with the Republic of Belarus,” according to the Telegram announcement.

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However, Russian forces have stated their intention to withdraw and hand over responsibility to Ukrainian employees, according to a statement issued by Energoatom on Thursday.

Russian troops began fleeing the Chernobyl nuclear power plant after receiving “significant doses” of radiation while excavating trenches at the severely polluted site, Ukraine’s state power company said Thursday, as fierce conflict continued on the outskirts of Kyiv and other fronts.

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The operator, Energoatom, provided no immediate information on the condition of the troops or how many were affected. However, it claimed that the Russians had dug in in the forest inside the exclusion zone surrounding the now-closed plant, which was the site of the world’s worst nuclear disaster in 1986.

According to Energoatom, the troops “panicked at the first sign of illness,” which “showed up very quickly,” and began preparing to evacuate.