EU Sends 5.5 Million Potassium Iodide Tablets to Ukraine to Protect Population from Radiation

The European Union is transferring 5.5 million potassium iodide tablets to Ukraine to protect its population from the potential effects of radiation, an initiative declared as a "preventive safety measure" by the EU Commission on Tuesday.

The tablets will be used "in limited scenarios to avoid the uptake of radioactive iodine inhaled or absorbed by the thyroid gland," according to the Commission's announcement.

According to the statement cited by CNN, the tablets were requested by the Ukrainian government to enhance the "level of protection" around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.

"No nuclear power plant should ever be used as a theater of war. It is unacceptable to endanger the lives of innocent civilians. All military operations around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant must cease immediately," added EU Commissioner for Crisis Management Janes Lenarcic.