Ukraine’s firefighters have contained major blazes in Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, interior ministry counselor Vadym Denysenko said on Monday
The day earlier the wildfires reportedly swelled to 10 thousand hectares in close vicinity to the defunct Chernobyl nuclear facility.
Denysenko said the emergency effort was hampered by Russian troops who blocked Ukrainians emergency teams  from access to Exclusion Zone.
Wildfires near Chernobyl are believed to be active now on 8 thousand hectares but the situation has been ‘brought under control”. Radiation levels in Kyiv region are ‘within norms’
“Luckily, we, in principle, have put out these fires. We can’t say there are large blazes there now, it is more or less stable situation,’ added Denysov.