@George-K
Does not surprise me. In fact in ‘93 when I posted into Western Siberia for work, my landlord, a highly educated retired geologist, advised that I boil the tap water before drinking or cooking not because of the usual bacterial contamination, but rather possible radioactivity from the nearest nuclear station some 400 km east of where I was to live. When I pointed out that boiling the water would do nothing other than produce radioactive steam in the air if the water were contaminated, he gave me an incredulous look and said that “Russian radiation is different from foreign radiation and that has been scientifically proven that boiling the water will destroy all the radioactive elements.” He then went on to say that in event I do inadvertently drink unboiled tap water I should asap drink a glass of warm vodka mixed with some herb available at all the local pharmacies as an antidote.
So no, I’m not at all surprised at this more recent story. Am sure the Russian soldiers had plenty of radiation antidote on hand while they pillaged .