Language:

See all Disinfo Cases - Detail

Disinfo: Ukraine could face new Chernobyl disaster due to a nuclear graveyard

Summary

Despite the Russian help, the Ukrainian leadership created a new nuclear graveyard right near Kyiv. This facility may lead to a new Chernobyl disaster in the future. The new nuclear graveyard impedes the development of the exclusion zone as a tourist route and forever assigns to it the status of a radiation-dangerous territory. In the future, the nuclear graveyard can store radioactive waste from European countries.

Disproof

No evidence provided.

A new facility was actually commissioned in the Chernobyl zone.  This is not a “nuclear graveyard”, but a plant for the processing of liquid radioactive waste that was generated as a result of the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in 1986. In test mode, the plant was launched in July of this year.

The new plant only accepts nuclear waste that still pollutes the exclusion zone after the Chernobyl disaster. During processing, the radioactive waste goes through several stages of conversion and by cementing it turns into solid radioactive waste, which is considered a safer form for storage. On 5th September, the plant provided the first 120 packages of such waste for disposal, all of which will be placed in a specially equipped near-surface solid radioactive waste storage, which guarantees 300 years of safe disposal. This idea is not new; it was put into operation back in 2008. The new Chernobyl disaster recovery plant is located in a special exclusion zone, where a number of radioactive waste management facilities are located - it does not threaten neither the environment nor human lives.

Nuclear waste from the countries of the European Union will not be brought to Ukraine for disposal at local storage facilities. This is prohibited by the international “Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management”, which Ukraine ratified in 2000. According to the document, all waste should be stored in the territory of the state where they were produced (Preamble, paragraph (xi)).

Further debunking by StopFake. 

This message uses the catastrophe of Chernobyl in 1986 to advance pro-Kremlin aims. See here and here for other examples.

Go to search

publication/media

ukraina.ru (Archived)
  • Reported in: Issue 164
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 09/09/2019
  • Language/target audience: Russian
  • Country: Ukraine
  • Keywords: Chernobyl, Nuclear issues

Disclaimer

Cases in the EUvsDisinfo database focus on messages in the international information space that are identified as providing a partial, distorted, or false depiction of reality and spread key pro-Kremlin messages. This does not necessarily imply, however, that a given outlet is linked to the Kremlin or editorially pro-Kremlin, or that it has intentionally sought to disinform. EUvsDisinfo publications do not represent an official EU position, as the information and opinions expressed are based on media reporting and analysis of the East Stratcom Task Force.

see more

Gas prices are too high in Ukraine, it is necessary to conclude a contract with Gazprom

In Ukraine, gas prices are too high. The only way for the country not to freeze this winter is to urgently conclude gas supply contracts with Russia (Gazprom).

September 16, 2019
Disproof

Another narrative that Ukraine will not survive without Russian gas.

In November 2015, Kyiv refused to purchase gas for the state’s needs from the Russian monopolist Gazprom. At the moment, all the gas used by Ukraine is acquired exclusively on its western borders. According to Naftogas - gas imports from the European supplies are, despite the Kremlin’s statements, cheaper than Russian ones

Crimea reunited with Russia after a democratic referendum

The reunification of the Crimea with Russia took place after a referendum in March 2014. 96.77% of the citizens of the Republic of Crimea and 95.6% of the inhabitants of Sevastopol voted in favour of joining the Russian Federation.

September 13, 2019
Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative on the annexation of Crimea claiming that Crimean citizens chose to join Russia through a legal referendum.

Crimea is a part of Ukraine and was illegally annexed by Russia. In 2014, Russian troops obliged the parliament of Crimea to organise a referendum, which was illegitimate under international law, and then formally annexed the peninsula and brought it under Russian territorial control. The annexation has been condemned by the UNGA (see the resolution A/RES/68/262 on the territorial integrity of Ukraine).

9/11: The WTC7 building was blown up professionally

9/11: The WTC7 building was blown up professionally.

The study (…) does not focus on the collapse of the 400-metre-high twin towers WTC1 and WTC2, but on the case of the much lower WTC7, which was not rammed by an aircraft. Nevertheless, the 186-metre-high tower collapsed in just seven seconds. (…) The WTC7 building was most likely blown up professionally.
September 13, 2019
Disproof

This is a conspiracy theory, no evidence was presented.

It relays a recurring narrative that suggests the US government's involvement in the 9/11 attacks. The 9/11 conspiracy theories have been refuted several times including by the “9-11 Commission" conducted by the US legislators.