MOSCOW. April 29 (Interfax) - Permanent stand-by units of the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry's departments in the Bryansk, Belgorod, Kursk and Smolensk regions have been put on high alert, the ministry press service said on Wednesday.
It explained the decision by the need to "be ready for prompt response and minimization of consequences of possible emergency situations caused by wildfires near Chernobyl.
"Radiation levels are being monitored round-the-clock by over 35 automatic radiation control posts of the comprehensive civil defense network and 20 automatic weather stations. The data is transmitted to the control center," it said.
"Radiation levels have not risen," the ministry said.