Beyond the general arguments about the economic and human damage to both sides in any war, there is an overriding concern in the Ukraine. It is important that especially among the local Ukrainian ethnic population, the desire to (have others) fight on, be tempered by the cold facts of some nuclear issues.

We, the world, have had a red-flag warning.

Just a month ago an explosive drone hit and damaged the Chernobyl confinement structure built to isolate the exceedingly dangerous levels of radioactivity from the world’s worst nuclear reactor accident. The outer shell was breached but an inner, less robust enclosure, seems to be intact.

Due to its location, it was likely a Russian drone, however each side blames the other. It is of little importance whose ordinance it was. Were a stray rocket to hit the enormous building, the spread of radioactive material would be catastrophic. The reactor site is only 60 miles (usually upwind) from Kyiv and a scant 10 miles to the Belarus border. It took half a million workers to build the containment and to move it, in two parts, on tracks, to enclose the site.

But that is not all. It is surrounded by an “Exclusion Zone” of dangerous radioactivity that was originally built by Russia (then the Soviet Union) covering an area of about 1000 square miles. That’s almost as large as Ulster County. It was later expanded to 1600 square miles which is over 40% larger than Ulster.

There are many “hot spots” in this controlled area which are especially dangerous, but any explosion disturbing the soil in that zone will discharge radioactive materials into the atmosphere.

This is not the only concern. Early in the invasion, Russian troops seized the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Station, the largest nuclear power plant in Europe, with 6 individual reactors. It lies roughly inside the triangle of Kyiv to the NW, Odessa to the SW, and Donetsk to the SE. It provided half the electricity for the entire nation. It is currently shut down, but the fuel is “live”, and tons of radioactive waste is on site. A rocket hit here would be tragic.

Add to this that there are three other nuclear plants in the Ukraine with 9 additional reactors. Further, both liquid waste in thousands of “packages” – 200-liter (50 gallon) drums, as well as solid waste, are spread in above-ground and shallow “temporary” sites across the country.

I “root” for the Ukraine, but even president Zelenskyy admits the war could drag on for three years. Providing additional support might, as many (including Putin) warn, lead to Russia using some of its (estimated 1,000 - 2,000) “field” nukes. These have a destructive range of the order of one to 100 square miles with radiation and fallout damage to much larger area.

If things get out of hand, a full-scale nuclear WWIII is the ever-present possibility.

Whether Zelenskyy likes it or not, the Ukraine needs immediate peace, even with ceding of some territory. The people are exhausted; many young men are dead; middle aged men are now being sent to war and dying. Before the war the Ukraine was 51.5% male; as of last year, it is down to 46% and is likely getting lower day by day.

Many are accusing Trump of not knowing history – specifically the Munich pact where Chamberlain ceded Czechoslovakia to appease Hitler. I doubt that Trump is ignorant of that key event. Even if he had been, someone would have told him. Besides, it is a leader’s job to deal in the present, and act for the future. The past may contain notable lessons, but the world situation is too chaotic for any past circumstances to repeat.

In this case, nuclear accidents and nuclear weapons totally alter the judgement. This is not a political issue. Making it one risks many innocent lives and perhaps our pleasant (and only) planet. Fight Trump on other issues but seek peace, even if the price seems high.

As to territory, one would hope that any ceding of area would be governed by a plebiscite of legitimate residents in the disputed area.

Bob Prener

Grahamsville