Some Russian troops still in Chernobyl 'exclusion zone': Ukraine
Story highlights
Ukrainian officials said some Russian troops were still in the Chernobyl nuclear power station "exclusion zone" after most troops left the area.
As the US defence department announced it will be sending $300 million in "security assistance" to Ukraine, a US defence official claimed Russian troops had likely "abandoned Hostomel airfield", however, Kyiv is still under artillery fire and airstrikes.
Ukrainian officials said some Russian troops were still in the Chernobyl nuclear power station "exclusion zone" after most troops left the area.
Russian forces had occupied the Chernobyl power plant on February 24 as President Putin announced a "special military operation" against Ukraine.
"Russia behaved irresponsibly in Chernobyl on all accounts, from not allowing personnel of the station to perform their functions to digging trenches in the contaminated areas," Ukraine's foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba said while informing that his country will work with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to find out what Russians troops did during the occupation of the nuclear site.
Watch: Ukraine conflict rages on as Moscow reports air raids on Russian soil
Meanwhile, the US said it was cancelling its planned intercontinental ballistic missile test even as Russia accused Ukraine of attacking a fuel depot in the border city of Belgorod. However, Ukraine hasn't confirmed the airstrike on Russian soil.
As the fighting continued in Mariupol, reports claimed several people were pulled out in buses. Ukraine said over 3,000 people were evacuated from Mariupol which has witnessed increased Russian bombardment with food, electricity and water running low in the city.
Local authorities say at least 5,000 people have been killed in Mariupol as the Red Cross said it would be sending a team to conduct more evacuations.
(With inputs from Agencies)
