Russia attacks Ukraine: Dozens of Chernobyl workers allowed to leave Russia-controlled plant
ByMichelle Ewing, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
ByMichelle Ewing, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
CHERNOBYL, Ukraine — Dozens of staff members at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine have been allowed to leave after working for weeks since Russian troops seized the facility Feb. 24, officials said.
“Please be reminded that the employees were at their workplaces for about 600 hours, having heroically performed their professional duties and maintained the appropriate level of safety,” the post read.
The post added that 46 “employee-volunteers” replaced the evacuated personnel “to fulfill their work duties and to ensure the enterprise’s functionality.”
Ukraine also told the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, about the change, the agency said in a news release Sunday.
“It is a positive – albeit long overdue – development that some staff at the Chernobyl NPP have now rotated and returned to their families,” IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said in a statement. “They deserve our full respect and admiration for having worked in these extremely difficult circumstances. They were there for far too long. I sincerely hope that remaining staff from this shift can also rotate soon.”
Photos: 109 empty strollers represent Ukrainian children killed TOPSHOT - In this picture taken on March 18, 2022, 109 empty strollers are seen placed outside the Lviv city council during an action to highlight the number of children killed in the ongoing Russia's invasion of Ukraine. (Photo by Yuriy Dyachyshyn / AFP) (Photo by YURIY DYACHYSHYN/AFP via Getty Images) (YURIY DYACHYSHYN/AFP via Getty Images)
Photos: 109 empty strollers represent Ukrainian children killed LVIV, UKRAINE - MARCH 18: 109 empty strollers are placed outside the Lviv city council during an action to highlight the number of children killed in the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, on March 18, 2022 in Lviv, Ukraine. Lviv has served as a stopover and shelter for the millions of Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion, either to the safety of nearby countries or the relative security of western Ukraine. (Photo by Alexey Furman/Getty Images) (Alexey Furman/Getty Images)
Photos: 109 empty strollers represent Ukrainian children killed LVIV, UKRAINE - MARCH 18: 109 empty strollers are placed outside the Lviv city council during an action to highlight the number of children killed in the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, on March 18, 2022 in Lviv, Ukraine. Lviv has served as a stopover and shelter for the millions of Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion, either to the safety of nearby countries or the relative security of western Ukraine. (Photo by Alexey Furman/Getty Images) (Alexey Furman/Getty Images)
Photos: 109 empty strollers represent Ukrainian children killed LVIV, UKRAINE - MARCH 18: 109 empty strollers are placed outside the Lviv city council during an action to highlight the number of children killed in the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, on March 18, 2022 in Lviv, Ukraine. Lviv has served as a stopover and shelter for the millions of Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion, either to the safety of nearby countries or the relative security of western Ukraine. (Photo by Alexey Furman/Getty Images) (Alexey Furman/Getty Images)
Photos: 109 empty strollers represent Ukrainian children killed LVIV, UKRAINE - MARCH 18: 109 empty strollers are placed outside the Lviv city council during an action to highlight the number of children killed in the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, on March 18, 2022 in Lviv, Ukraine. Lviv has served as a stopover and shelter for the millions of Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion, either to the safety of nearby countries or the relative security of western Ukraine. (Photo by Alexey Furman/Getty Images) (Alexey Furman/Getty Images)
Photos: 109 empty strollers represent Ukrainian children killed LVIV, UKRAINE - MARCH 18: 109 empty strollers are placed outside the Lviv city council during an action to highlight the number of children killed in the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, on March 18, 2022 in Lviv, Ukraine. Lviv has served as a stopover and shelter for the millions of Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion, either to the safety of nearby countries or the relative security of western Ukraine. (Photo by Alexey Furman/Getty Images) (Alexey Furman/Getty Images)
Photos: 109 empty strollers represent Ukrainian children killed LVIV, UKRAINE - MARCH 18: 109 empty strollers are placed outside the Lviv city council during an action to highlight the number of children killed in the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, on March 18, 2022 in Lviv, Ukraine. Lviv has served as a stopover and shelter for the millions of Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion, either to the safety of nearby countries or the relative security of western Ukraine. (Photo by Alexey Furman/Getty Images) (Alexey Furman/Getty Images)
Photos: 109 empty strollers represent Ukrainian children killed LVIV, UKRAINE - MARCH 18: 109 empty strollers are placed outside the Lviv city council during an action to highlight the number of children killed in the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, on March 18, 2022 in Lviv, Ukraine. Lviv has served as a stopover and shelter for the millions of Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion, either to the safety of nearby countries or the relative security of western Ukraine. (Photo by Alexey Furman/Getty Images) (Alexey Furman/Getty Images)
Photos: 109 empty strollers represent Ukrainian children killed LVIV, UKRAINE - MARCH 18: 109 empty strollers are placed outside the Lviv city council during an action to highlight the number of children killed in the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, on March 18, 2022 in Lviv, Ukraine. Lviv has served as a stopover and shelter for the millions of Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion, either to the safety of nearby countries or the relative security of western Ukraine. (Photo by Alexey Furman/Getty Images) (Alexey Furman/Getty Images)
Photos: 109 empty strollers represent Ukrainian children killed LVIV, UKRAINE - MARCH 18: 109 empty strollers are placed outside the Lviv city council during an action to highlight the number of children killed in the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, on March 18, 2022 in Lviv, Ukraine. Lviv has served as a stopover and shelter for the millions of Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion, either to the safety of nearby countries or the relative security of western Ukraine. (Photo by Alexey Furman/Getty Images) (Alexey Furman/Getty Images)
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/7QOJU3BNCJERBNKJC5LWTBYFLU.png)
