Ukrainian officials cried out on Saturday that Russian forces have captured the mayor and taken control of the town where staff working at the Chernobyl nuclear site are living.
It was revealed that about 25,000 people live in the town 160 kilometres (99 miles) north of the capital, Kyiv, built after the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident.
The military administration of the Kyiv region in a Telegram, declared that “Russian occupiers have invaded Slavutych and occupied the municipal hospital.”
The administration also said that Russian forces fired into the air and threw stun grenades into the crowd of protesters.
The administration in the Telegram, also exposed images in which dozens of people gathered around the Ukrainian flag and chanted: “Glory to Ukraine”.
The administration further declared that “According to the latest information, the town’s mayor, Yuri Fomichev, has been captured.”
The Chernobyl nuclear plant was captured by the Russian forces on February 24, the same day Russia commenced special military operations in Ukraine.
The International Atomic Energy Agency had expressed “concern” on Thursday after Ukraine informed the IAEA that Russia is carrying out bombardment of Slavutych.