When the first armoured vehicles of Russia's invading army reached the heart of Chornobyl nuclear plant on the afternoon of 24 Feb, they encountered a Ukrainian unit charged with defending the notorious facility. In less than two hours, and without a fight, the 169 members of the Ukrainian National Guard laid down their weapons.
A Reuters investigation has found that Russia s success at taking over Chornobyl in February was no accident, but part of a long-standing Kremlin operation to infiltrate the Ukrainian state with secret agents.