I think you are conflating media and social media. If any of these stories were picked by something like NYT, it would be "here are some examples of local stories going around to strengthen the morale", never as "truth". Actually, even reddit comments were generally "I know the Ghost is made up, it would be silly to believe it, but gosh, it is a good story".

Moreover, the radiation in Chernobil did rise (measurably, but trivially). That has nothing to do with the active nuclear plant where actual fights happened.

For your third point I think you are mixing things up. Zaporizhzhia was shelled and afaik no increase in radiation was mentioned in any news I read. News also stressed that an office building was shelled, not the actual reactor.

Chernobyl there were rumors about a nuclear waste depot being blown up and subsequent increase in radiation. However, it was always mentioned that this could be due to troop movement over contaminated soil and there were never worrying radiation numbers.

Edit: I previously said the control room was on fire but can’t find a source anymore.

Were these reported by mainstream / reputable sources?

I only saw them on social media.

But I did see a source that radiation did rise around Chernobyl, probably due to dust getting kicked up by vehicles and foot traffic.

I think there's a serious issue in America with 24 hr news networks that feel compelled to shovel every bit of information they think they've got directly onto air unvetted so, personally, my main news source is an hourly show that's been doing a quick twenty minute run-down of news from the last day - preferring to discuss older information that has been more thoroughly vetted.

I saw some memes about the Snake Island Soldiers but never heard serious reporting on their deaths - I only ever heard the location had been compromised. Maybe the issue isn't so much a propaganda mill forcing false facts but the news sources you're choosing to consume. Unless you have family/loved ones in Ukraine there is no reason to try and follow up-to-the minute news - watch the daily shows, read a newspaper or just be a bit more skeptical about what you're ingesting.

Indeed Ghost of Kiev (if doesn't really exist) is crazy-evil propaganda, comparing to the Russians invading independent country and trying to sell it as "operation" against facism.

Here's a video showing heavy weapons damage to elevated walkways connecting the reactor buildings, showing damage to what looks to me like wiring conduit running through the walkways.

https://twitter.com/gbrumfiel/status/1499799810609668106

The focus of the fighting was elsewhere but some projectiles made it very close to the reactor buildings.

Based on comparing the shot out the window with a look on Google Maps this is between units 2 and 3 of the 6 at the plant

The nuclear reactor was shelled. I saw it live.

Doubt it had anything to do with radiation though.

There is quite a bit of fear that SVR/FSB is going to fake a dirty bomb incident on UKR soil as a pretext for tactical nukes.

Where did you see that?

I read some Reddit and even there they mentioned eg. The ghost of Kiev is probably fake.

Your other points are also ridiculous. No radiation was rising and there was huge protest against Russians to take the facility. There were definitely fires nearby.

Reports of the nuclear facility ( video + sound) are pretty clear about what happened.

They did mention it is very dangerous to attack a nuclear facility.

I think that's pretty logical....

Ghost of Kyiv hasn't been disproven yet; but there was a tiktok that circulated where the battle was "recreated" in a video game.