Fire continues in Chornobyl Exclusion Zone after Russian drone strike

Firefighting efforts are ongoing in the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone after a blaze caused by the downing of Russian drones on May 14, with more than 412 hectares of land affected.

The Main Directorate of the State Emergency Service in Kyiv Region announced this on Facebook, Ukrinform reports.

According to the post, the fire started at 13:33 on May 14 when authorities received a report of ignition of forest litter and deadwood from the Chornobyl Radiation and Ecological Biosphere Reserve.

As of 15:00 on Wednesday, May 20, firefighting operations are still ongoing at two separate locations.

Officials said the fire has spread across more than 412 hectares of territory.

The State Emergency Service noted that dry weather conditions and strong wind gusts are contributing to the spread of the flames.

A total of 134 rescuers and specialized equipment have been deployed to contain the fire.

Authorities are continuously monitoring the situation to detect any new active hotspots in time.

The situation is fully under control, the State Emergency Service said.

Earlier, Ukrinform reported that the fire in the exclusion zone began in hard-to-reach areas following the downing of Russian drones on May 14.