“The exclusion zone is an area closed to the public and subject to intense radioactive contamination. Illegal entry and stay in this zone are subject to administrative and criminal sanctions,” they added.
Nearly 120 foreigners were arrested for illegally entering the area in 2021, before Russia’s invasion, according to figures released by border guards.
Their number “has decreased” since the Russian invasion in February 2022, “but there are still some,” a source within the border guards explains to AFP.
“These are mainly Ukrainians who wanted to visit the Chernobyl zone and walk in places where it is forbidden to walk,” said this source.
The Chernobyl exclusion zone is one of the most radioactively contaminated areas in the world.
Before the Russian invasion in February 2022, it was possible to visit the site with a guide, but for almost three years the area has been completely closed to tourists.
