The Regional Center In Belarus With The Highest Radiation Levels Has Been Identified

• 21.06.2026, 21:51

And this isn't Gomel.

Radiation monitoring data has been updated in Belarus. According to Belhydromet, the situation in the country is stable, and readings in regional centers remain at the level of “natural background radiation,” reports tochka.by.

However, when comparing major cities, one of them had a slightly higher level than the others.

Which city is in the lead

As of June 18, 2026, the highest radiation level among regional capitals was recorded in Vitebsk—0.11 μSv/h. In Brest, Gomel, Grodno, Minsk, and Mogilev, the readings were identical—0.1 μSv/h.

The difference appears minimal, but it is interesting that Vitebsk turned out to be the leader, rather than Gomel, which is more often associated with the consequences of the Chernobyl accident.

Where the background radiation is noticeably higher

Higher readings are recorded not in regional capitals, but at individual radiation monitoring stations. For example, in Bragin, the gamma radiation dose rate was 0.46 μSv/h, and in Slavgorod, it was 0.18 μSv/h.

Belhydromet explained that these readings correspond to long-term average values, so there is no cause for concern. This background radiation is directly linked to the consequences of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident.

Comparison with an X-ray

To understand how significant these levels are, you can compare them to the doses received during a chest X-ray. For an adult, this is about 0.1 mSv, or 100 μSv.

At the level of 0.46 μSv/h recorded in Bragin, a person would receive such a dose in approximately 217 hours—about 9 days of continuous exposure at that location. At a level of 0.10 μSv/h—in about 1,000 hours, or nearly 42 days.

However, this comparison is somewhat arbitrary: an X-ray is a short-term medical exposure, while background radiation is a constant external exposure. Furthermore, the actual dose from an X-ray can vary depending on the equipment and procedure.