No, the Fire at Ukraine's Nuclear Plant Isn't the Next Chernobyl

Background: Yesterday, the Russian army was fighting near the largest power plant in Europe, located in Ukraine. At one point, a fire broke out, but only in an administration building.

Ukraine's response: Immediately, Ukrainian officials went to pull the alarm and warn the world that if the reactor exploded, the result would be ten times worse than Chernobyl, a catastrophe that still scares the world. Zelenskyy pleaded that Putin is doing "nuclear terrorism."

• The U.S. media picked up the story and quickly spread fear with an ominous message: Europe and America need to wake up and get involved, otherwise nuclear disaster is imminent.

The reality: The Zaporizhzhia nuclear reactor was built fundamentally different from the Chernobyl plant, even safer than the damaged Fukushima plant in Japan. It can withstand an aircraft crash and has several security protocols to prevent any crisis larger than the Fukushima plant disaster, where no one died.

• The small fire was not at risk of causing a catastrophe.

The big picture: Ukraine needs military aid to win the war, and it's going to continue to put pressure on the West with stories like this. Naturally gravitating towards warmongering sentiments, our media system will push the cause. It's important to be aware of MSM tactics in times of conflict.