What Were They Thinking?

Russian troops sickened after being exposed to radiation at Chernobyl site

Russian troops were exposed to “significant doses” of radiation from digging trenches around the Chernobyl nuclear plant and have left the highly contaminated site, Ukraine’s state power company said Thursday.

Energoatom said the Russians had dug in the forest inside the exclusion zone around the now-closed plant, site in 1986 of the world’s worst nuclear disaster. The troops “panicked at the first sign of illness,” which “showed up very quickly,” and began to prepare to leave, said Energoatom, which did not provide information on the soldiers' condition.

Russian forces seized the Chernobyl site early in the invasion that began Feb. 24, raising fears that they would cause damage or disruption that could spread radiation.

On Thursday, the International Atomic Energy Agency said Ukrainian officials informed it that the Russian forces who were in control of the plant have “in writing, transferred control” of the facility to Ukrainian personnel.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/russia-pulling-back-to-resupply-us-says-expect-even-more-suffering-in-ukraine-nato-chief-warns-live-updates/ar-AAVHwkn?rt=0&ocid=Win10NewsApp&referrerID=InAppShare

When the Russians first occupied Chernobyl early on, I wondered what they expected to do with it.  I can understand why they would want to take that other nuclear power plant, which is actively producing electricity, but I didn't understand what they wanted Chernobyl for.  It now seems that the Russians themselves didn't know what they wanted it for.  They were digging trenches around it, presumably for defense.  Who did they think they would have to defend it against?  

Then there's those generals.  The Russians had about two dozen generals in Ukraine before Ukrainian snipers took out seven of them.  Each one of those generals were either commanders or deputy commanders of their individual units, but there was no one general in charge of the whole operation.  Apparently each general reports directly to Putin, and they don't communicate with each other.  

And what about the reports that numerous Russian soldiers have been incapacitated by frostbite?  I find it hard to believe that Russians wouldn't know how to deal with cold weather.  I mean, it frequently snows on their May Day Parade, and the VIPs in the reviewing stand look quite comfortable in their big winter coats.  Maybe, because the climate in Ukraine is a little warmer than in Moscow, the soldiers thought they could take off their shirts and get a suntan while they were stalled for weeks on the road to Kyiv.