Ukraine found radioactive material believed to be stolen from Chernobyl nuclear power plant

Ukrainian authorities retrieved radioactive material believed to have been stolen from the now-defunct Chernobyl nuclear power plant a decade ago, an official said Wednesday.

Security officers discovered a plastic bag with 14 pieces of nuclear fuel during a routine search of the damaged reactor's perimeter last week, said Stanislav Shektela, a spokesman for the plant.

He said that the radioactive material "was probably missing since 1995" when a group of people was arrested and convicted of stealing nuclear fuel from the destroyed reactor's central hall.

Experts are now trying to positively identify the material while police investigate, Shektela said.