REMEMBERING WORLD'S MOST HORRIBLE NUCLEAR DISASTER!

April 26, 2025, marks the 39th anniversary of one of the most large-scale man-made disasters in human historythe accident at the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant.

The accident was the result of a Moscow-directed experiment that ignored basic security protocols. Unacceptable manipulations with the reactor under direct instructions from Moscow led to an uncontrolled reaction, explosion, and meltdown.

This criminal negligence, as well as the Soviet attempt to conceal the truth, exposed millions of people to radiation. The Chornobyl disaster demonstrated that the Soviet system was broken and unable to ensure the basic safety of its citizens. The Chornobyl disaster, along with other factors, played a major role in the collapse of the USSR.

As a result of the explosion, over 145,000 square kilometers of land were contaminated with radionuclides. Around 5,000 settlements across Ukraine, Belarus, and the Russian Federation were affected--2,218 of them in Ukraine alone, home to approximately 2.4 million people.

The impact of the disaster was felt beyond the region, with radioactive contamination detected in Belarus, Sweden, Norway, Poland, Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Finland, and the United Kingdom.

Nearly 5 million people suffered from the consequences of the accident.

The total (direct and indirect) economic losses incurred by Ukraine due to the Chornobyl disaster are estimated at tens of billions of US dollars.

Before the explosion at Chornobyl, the world had never witnessed a nuclear catastrophe of such magnitude. Nearly four decades later, its consequences continue to resonate.

On April 26, it is important to honor the memory of the heroes who gave their lives during the initial response to the Chornobyl disaster, as well as those who risked themselves to prevent a second catastrophe during the Russian occupation in 2022.

It is also essential to express gratitude to the personnel of the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant and all workers of the Exclusion Zone who remained at their posts and ensured the continued operation of Chornobyl and other facilities under inhumane conditions after the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022.

The world must remember the inhumane nature of the USSR's communist regime, which was the main cause of this tragedy. The Soviet authorities concealed and attempted to cover up the fact and scale of the accident at the Chornobyl nuclear power plant. Because of this criminal disregard for human life, thousands of Ukrainians died or were exposed to significant doses of radiation.

The current Russian government pursues the same policy of hatred and disinformation.

Constant attacks on energy infrastructure, distortion of facts, and propaganda threaten not only the lives of millions of people in Ukraine but also across the entire continent.

Putin's regime is actively attempting to distort the truth about the Chornobyl disaster and shift blame away from the Soviet regime. Russia did not learn any lessons from the Chornobyl disaster. To the contrary, Moscow's current regime is similar to that of 1986, which resulted in the worst nuclear disaster in human history.

Occupation of the Exclusion Zone at the Onset of the Invasion 

On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a full-scale war against Ukraine. One of the first sites occupied by Russian forces was Chornobyl. Thus began a period of nuclear terror imposed by the aggressor. Employees of the Exclusion Zone resisted the occupiers and played a critical role in preventing a nuclear catastrophe.

Despite the occupation, staff in the Exclusion Zone ensured the uninterrupted operation of key systems and equipment, conducted technical maintenance, responded to emergency situations, and managed radioactive waste in a safe manner. They preserved essential data repositories, safeguarded part of the food supplies from looting, organized food distribution for personnel, and continued to protect critical infrastructure in the Zone until the very end.

On March 31, Ukrainian Armed Forces expelled Russian troops from the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone.

The estimated damages caused by the occupation of the Zone amount to approximately 3 billion UAH (around 100 million euros).

On the final day of occupation, March 31, 2022, Ukrainian National Guard servicemen guarding the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant were forcibly transported by bus to Belarus and then to Russian territory. Russian forces have detained 169 National Guard personnel. So far, only 65 defenders have been safely returned to Ukraine.

Nuclear Terrorism-the Ongoing Threat at the Zaporizhzhia NPP 

Attacks on civilian nuclear facilities in Ukraine have become an integral element of Russia's military aggression. For the first time in human history, an aggressor state has forcibly seized nuclear power plants-Chornobyl (ChNPP) and Zaporizhzhia (ZNPP)-in blatant violation of international law.

Since the onset of the full-scale invasion, Russia has militarized the occupied Ukrainian nuclear power plants, using them for both military and political purposes. Numerous incidents at these facilities-including frequent shelling of nuclear infrastructure by Russian forces-pose a grave threat not only to the security of the European continent but to global safety as well.

One of the most recent incidents occurred during the night of February 13-14, 2025, when Russia launched an attack using a "Geran-2" combat drone on the New Safe Confinement structure at the Chornobyl NPP, which protects the destroyed Unit 4 reactor. The drone strike damaged both the outer and inner shells of the confinement structure (the NSC arch) and compromised the equipment of the main crane system.

In March 2025, the IAEA monitoring team reported multiple explosions at the Zaporizhzhia NPP. A diesel fuel tank that supplied electricity to the plant's emergency generators sustained damage at the temporarily occupied facility on March 26. This incident was a direct result of Russia's replacement of licensed Ukrainian experts with unqualified personnel.

This marks yet another escalation of nuclear terrorism by Russia, which has repeatedly committed similar crimes during its ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine. The world has witnessed countless instances of Russia deliberately destroying Ukrainian cities, killing children, and obliterating critical civilian infrastructure.

Zaporizhzhia NPP Must Be Returned to Ukrainian Control-the Only Guarantee of Nuclear Safety in Europe

 Restoring global nuclear safety requires Ukraine to regain full control over all nuclear facilities located on its sovereign territory.

As repeatedly emphasized by the President of Ukraine, ensuring nuclear and radiation safety in the country is essential. It is a prerequisite for a sustainable, lasting, and just peace. By seizing the Chornobyl and Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plants, Russia violated all key IAEA pillars of nuclear safety and security. No country has the right to blackmail the world with the threat of a radiation catastrophe. Nuclear safety must be restored.

The example of Chornobyl demonstrates how recklessly the occupying forces behave at such sensitive sites. Russia has disregarded all fundamental principles of nuclear safety.

Russia's aggression continues to cause severe environmental damage in Ukraine. Since February 24, 2022, the estimated environmental losses amount to nearly €85 billion. These include the pollution of water bodies and air, large-scale forest fires, and the destruction of nature reserves.

We count on increased international pressure to ensure the swift liberation of the occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant and the restoration of Ukraine's full control Over all civilian nuclear facilities and materials within its internationally recognized borders.

We also urge the international community to take strong and principled actions to ensure political, economic, and legal consequences for the Russian Federation for its crimes that undermine global nuclear safety.

For reference:

What Is the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone Today?

· The Chornobyl Exclusion Zone is a vast community of professionals for whom nuclear safety is more than just words. Over 5,000 employees have dedicated nearly their entire careers to this area. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has repeatedly recognized the high level of professionalism demonstrated by Ukrainian experts.

· Working at the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant today means contributing directly to global nuclear safety. Every facility within the Zone is unique, requiring the work of highly qualified personnel who ensure not only the functionality and security of these sites but also the safety of the surrounding areas.

· Since the first day of the full-scale invasion, 379 employees of the Exclusion Zone-over 8% of the workforce-have joined the defense of Ukraine. To date, 40 mobilized and civilian workers from the Zone have lost their lives.

· In autumn 2023, a memorial was unveiled in the Exclusion Zone in honor of the fallen soldiers-employees of the State Agency of Ukraine on Exclusion Zone Management (SAUEZM) enterprises and institutions-who died defending Ukraine's freedom and independence in the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian war.

Correct transliteration:

Zaporizhzhia, Chornobyl, Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant (ChNPP), Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Station