burning

no, it’s not. if it was burning something would be coming out. melting might be a description, but it’s not even doing that… smouldering maaaybe?

you are 100% correct that russia is playing stupid games with their radiological fuckup, and that should stop immidiately.

re: remaining reactors - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chernobyl_Nuclear_Power_Plant

according to wiki they have been decommissioned and are in a state of cool down; power needs to be maintained in order to keep cooling pumps going for the reactor cores; but power is not being generated and comes from off site.