Russian invaders STORM Chernobyl as Ukrainian troops ‘giving their lives’ to avert another nuclear disaster

A BATTLE was raging in the Chernobyl nuclear exclusion zone today after Russian troops stormed in from Belarus. Ukrainian guards were fighting back, and officials warned a direct hit on a waste storage facility could spread a radioactive dust cloud over the whole of Europe. The Mega AgencyFighting was raging today closxe to the entombed reactor at Chernobyl[/caption] ReutersDefenders fear a repeat of the 1986 nuclear disaster[/caption] The invasion from Belarus came as Vladimir Putin’s troops simultaneously surged into Ukraine from the east and south after a cruise missile blitz. Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the Russian occupation troops are trying to capture the Chernobyl site close to the Belarus border. Forces were said to be fighting close to the giant sarcophagus entombing the reactor that exploded in the world’s worst nuclear disaster. Mr Zelensky said Ukrainian guards were “giving their lives” to prevent a repeat of the 1986 catastrophe. The site also houses nuclear waste, and officials fear a catastrophic leak could be caused by artillery shells. Anton Gerashchenko, an adviser to the Interior Minister, said the Russian troops entered the exclusion zone from the Belkarus side. He added: “If the occupiers’ artillery strikes destroy the nuclear waste storage facility, radioactive dust could cover the territories of Ukraine, Belarus and the EU.” Most read in News APOCALYPSE NOW Chilling vid shows swarm of Russian helicopters blitzing Ukraine airport FIGHT BACK Boris vows to 'hobble' Russia with 'massive' sanctions as Putin 'must fail' FIRE & FURY Putin warns of 'untold consequences' if 'NUCLEAR power' Russia is challenged KEEP OUT Vladimir Putin's pal Roman Abramovich effectively barred from living in Britain DEATH FROM ABOVE Putin 'deploying thermobaric rocket launchers' that can ‘explode' lungs DEADLY BLAZE On the Buses star Anna Karen died in house inferno 'started by cigarette'