On April 26, 2026, Ukraine marks the 40th anniversary of one of the worst man-made disasters in human history — the Chornobyl nuclear catastrophe.
The accident was caused by a reactor experiment conducted under Moscow’s orders in blatant violation of basic safety rules.
Criminal negligence, compounded by Soviet attempts to conceal the truth, meant that the world remained unaware of the explosion for at least two days, while Soviet citizens were kept in the dark for weeks. Even after the disaster, authorities forced people to take part in the May 1 demonstration in central Kyiv while radioactive fallout was already in the air.
Over the following ten days, radioactive contamination spread far beyond the immediate region, reaching Belarus and many European countries, including Sweden, Norway, Poland, Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Finland, and the United Kingdom. Radiation levels inside the destroyed reactor reached around 20,000 roentgens; by comparison, exposure to 500 roentgens for several hours can be fatal.
The Soviet regime hid the scale of the catastrophe, falsified diagnoses of radiation sickness, and classified contamination data until 1989. The total release of radioactive isotopes was estimated at 30 times greater than the bomb dropped on Hiroshima. More than 145,000 square kilometres of land were contaminated, 8.5 million people were exposed to radiation, and around 5,000 settlements across present-day Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia were affected. More than 300,000 people were forced to leave their homes forever. Parts of the surrounding territory will remain unsafe for thousands of years.
Chornobyl became a verdict on the Soviet system — a symbol of its negligence, secrecy, and disregard for human life. It also became one of the factors that accelerated the collapse of the USSR. Nearly four decades later, the consequences of that catastrophe are still felt, while Russia continues trying to revive the same authoritarian practices built on lies and repression.
The lessons of the past remain painfully relevant today. On February 24, 2022, when Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the world once again faced the threat of nuclear terror — this time deliberately created by an aggressor state. That danger continues to this day.
The Chornobyl Exclusion Zone was among the first territories seized by Russian forces. Only the dedication and courage of the Exclusion Zone staff, who remained at their posts under occupation, maintained the operation of the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant and related facilities, and risked their lives, helped prevent another nuclear disaster. On March 31, 2022, the Armed Forces of Ukraine liberated the Exclusion Zone and drove out Russian troops.
It is clear that Russia has learned nothing from the tragedy of Chornobyl. On the contrary, the current regime in Moscow increasingly resembles the system that in 1986 caused the largest man-made nuclear catastrophe in human history.
For the first time in human history, an aggressor state has forcibly seized nuclear power plants. Attacks on civilian nuclear facilities in Ukraine, combined with blatant violations of international law, have become an integral part of Russia’s war of aggression.
After occupying the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant, Russia also seized the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. Both facilities were militarized and used by Russia for military leverage and political blackmail. Numerous incidents at these sites continue to pose a grave threat not only to Europe’s security, but to global safety as a whole.
One such example occurred on the night of February 13–14, 2025, when Russia struck the New Safe Confinement at the Chornobyl NPP with a “Geran-2” combat drone. The strike damaged both the outer and inner shells of the NSC arch and disabled the main crane system.
We are grateful to France and the EBRD for their efforts to restore the New Safe Confinement and mobilize funding for this purpose. A donor conference dedicated to its recovery will be held in Kyiv on April 26, 2026. The Group of Seven played a central role in building the NSC — the largest movable land-based structure in the world — and we appreciate the G7 and the French Presidency for leading current restoration efforts after Russia’s barbaric attack.
In March 2025, the IAEA monitoring mission reported multiple explosions at the Zaporizhzhia NPP. On March 26, a diesel fuel tank supplying emergency generators was damaged at the temporarily occupied plant. This incident was a direct consequence of Russia replacing licensed Ukrainian specialists with unqualified personnel.
Russia’s systematic escalation of nuclear terror during its war against Ukraine is approaching a critical point and creating a threat of global scale. Three nuclear power plants continue operating in Ukraine. This winter, dangerous Russian drone flyovers and reckless strikes on critical substations caused emergency reactor shutdowns. Europe was brought dangerously close to disaster.
The world owes gratitude to Ukrainian nuclear energy professionals, who have maintained safe control of reactors under extraordinary wartime conditions. Their professionalism has helped keep Europe safe.
We also need stronger sanctions against Rosatom and restrictions on the aggressor state’s rights within the IAEA. Ukraine has proposed relevant statutory amendments and counts on the support of its partners.
By seizing the Chornobyl and Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plants, Russia violated all key principles of nuclear safety and security established by the IAEA. No state has the right to blackmail the world with the threat of a radiation catastrophe.
Restoring global nuclear safety is impossible without returning full control of all civilian nuclear facilities located on Ukraine’s sovereign territory to Ukraine. Nuclear safety must be fully restored.
Ukraine calls on the international community to take decisive and principled action to ensure political, economic, and legal consequences for Russia’s crimes that undermine global nuclear security.
Protecting Ukraine’s civilian nuclear facilities and nuclear materials within its internationally recognized borders is a global responsibility. Together, we must ensure that the principle of “Never Again” becomes a reality.
We urge the world not to wait for a new Chornobyl.
On April 26, 2026, Ukraine marks the 40th anniversary of one of the worst man-made disasters in human history — the Chornobyl nuclear catastrophe.
The accident was caused by a reactor experiment conducted under Moscow’s orders in blatant violation of basic safety rules.
Criminal negligence, compounded by Soviet attempts to conceal the truth, meant that the world remained unaware of the explosion for at least two days, while Soviet citizens were kept in the dark for weeks. Even after the disaster, authorities forced people to take part in the May 1 demonstration in central Kyiv while radioactive fallout was already in the air.
Over the following ten days, radioactive contamination spread far beyond the immediate region, reaching Belarus and many European countries, including Sweden, Norway, Poland, Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Finland, and the United Kingdom. Radiation levels inside the destroyed reactor reached around 20,000 roentgens; by comparison, exposure to 500 roentgens for several hours can be fatal.
The Soviet regime hid the scale of the catastrophe, falsified diagnoses of radiation sickness, and classified contamination data until 1989. The total release of radioactive isotopes was estimated at 30 times greater than the bomb dropped on Hiroshima. More than 145,000 square kilometres of land were contaminated, 8.5 million people were exposed to radiation, and around 5,000 settlements across present-day Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia were affected. More than 300,000 people were forced to leave their homes forever. Parts of the surrounding territory will remain unsafe for thousands of years.
Chornobyl became a verdict on the Soviet system — a symbol of its negligence, secrecy, and disregard for human life. It also became one of the factors that accelerated the collapse of the USSR. Nearly four decades later, the consequences of that catastrophe are still felt, while Russia continues trying to revive the same authoritarian practices built on lies and repression.
The lessons of the past remain painfully relevant today. On February 24, 2022, when Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the world once again faced the threat of nuclear terror — this time deliberately created by an aggressor state. That danger continues to this day.
The Chornobyl Exclusion Zone was among the first territories seized by Russian forces. Only the dedication and courage of the Exclusion Zone staff, who remained at their posts under occupation, maintained the operation of the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant and related facilities, and risked their lives, helped prevent another nuclear disaster. On March 31, 2022, the Armed Forces of Ukraine liberated the Exclusion Zone and drove out Russian troops.
It is clear that Russia has learned nothing from the tragedy of Chornobyl. On the contrary, the current regime in Moscow increasingly resembles the system that in 1986 caused the largest man-made nuclear catastrophe in human history.
For the first time in human history, an aggressor state has forcibly seized nuclear power plants. Attacks on civilian nuclear facilities in Ukraine, combined with blatant violations of international law, have become an integral part of Russia’s war of aggression.
After occupying the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant, Russia also seized the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. Both facilities were militarized and used by Russia for military leverage and political blackmail. Numerous incidents at these sites continue to pose a grave threat not only to Europe’s security, but to global safety as a whole.
One such example occurred on the night of February 13–14, 2025, when Russia struck the New Safe Confinement at the Chornobyl NPP with a “Geran-2” combat drone. The strike damaged both the outer and inner shells of the NSC arch and disabled the main crane system.
We are grateful to France and the EBRD for their efforts to restore the New Safe Confinement and mobilize funding for this purpose. A donor conference dedicated to its recovery will be held in Kyiv on April 26, 2026. The Group of Seven played a central role in building the NSC — the largest movable land-based structure in the world — and we appreciate the G7 and the French Presidency for leading current restoration efforts after Russia’s barbaric attack.
In March 2025, the IAEA monitoring mission reported multiple explosions at the Zaporizhzhia NPP. On March 26, a diesel fuel tank supplying emergency generators was damaged at the temporarily occupied plant. This incident was a direct consequence of Russia replacing licensed Ukrainian specialists with unqualified personnel.
Russia’s systematic escalation of nuclear terror during its war against Ukraine is approaching a critical point and creating a threat of global scale. Three nuclear power plants continue operating in Ukraine. This winter, dangerous Russian drone flyovers and reckless strikes on critical substations caused emergency reactor shutdowns. Europe was brought dangerously close to disaster.
The world owes gratitude to Ukrainian nuclear energy professionals, who have maintained safe control of reactors under extraordinary wartime conditions. Their professionalism has helped keep Europe safe.
We also need stronger sanctions against Rosatom and restrictions on the aggressor state’s rights within the IAEA. Ukraine has proposed relevant statutory amendments and counts on the support of its partners.
By seizing the Chornobyl and Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plants, Russia violated all key principles of nuclear safety and security established by the IAEA. No state has the right to blackmail the world with the threat of a radiation catastrophe.
Restoring global nuclear safety is impossible without returning full control of all civilian nuclear facilities located on Ukraine’s sovereign territory to Ukraine. Nuclear safety must be fully restored.
Ukraine calls on the international community to take decisive and principled action to ensure political, economic, and legal consequences for Russia’s crimes that undermine global nuclear security.
Protecting Ukraine’s civilian nuclear facilities and nuclear materials within its internationally recognized borders is a global responsibility. Together, we must ensure that the principle of “Never Again” becomes a reality.
We urge the world not to wait for a new Chornobyl.
On April 26, 2026, Ukraine marks the 40th anniversary of one of the worst man-made disasters in human history — the Chornobyl nuclear catastrophe.
The accident was caused by a reactor experiment conducted under Moscow’s orders in blatant violation of basic safety rules.
Criminal negligence, compounded by Soviet attempts to conceal the truth, meant that the world remained unaware of the explosion for at least two days, while Soviet citizens were kept in the dark for weeks. Even after the disaster, authorities forced people to take part in the May 1 demonstration in central Kyiv while radioactive fallout was already in the air.
Over the following ten days, radioactive contamination spread far beyond the immediate region, reaching Belarus and many European countries, including Sweden, Norway, Poland, Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Finland, and the United Kingdom. Radiation levels inside the destroyed reactor reached around 20,000 roentgens; by comparison, exposure to 500 roentgens for several hours can be fatal.
The Soviet regime hid the scale of the catastrophe, falsified diagnoses of radiation sickness, and classified contamination data until 1989. The total release of radioactive isotopes was estimated at 30 times greater than the bomb dropped on Hiroshima. More than 145,000 square kilometres of land were contaminated, 8.5 million people were exposed to radiation, and around 5,000 settlements across present-day Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia were affected. More than 300,000 people were forced to leave their homes forever. Parts of the surrounding territory will remain unsafe for thousands of years.
Chornobyl became a verdict on the Soviet system — a symbol of its negligence, secrecy, and disregard for human life. It also became one of the factors that accelerated the collapse of the USSR. Nearly four decades later, the consequences of that catastrophe are still felt, while Russia continues trying to revive the same authoritarian practices built on lies and repression.
The lessons of the past remain painfully relevant today. On February 24, 2022, when Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the world once again faced the threat of nuclear terror — this time deliberately created by an aggressor state. That danger continues to this day.
The Chornobyl Exclusion Zone was among the first territories seized by Russian forces. Only the dedication and courage of the Exclusion Zone staff, who remained at their posts under occupation, maintained the operation of the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant and related facilities, and risked their lives, helped prevent another nuclear disaster. On March 31, 2022, the Armed Forces of Ukraine liberated the Exclusion Zone and drove out Russian troops.
It is clear that Russia has learned nothing from the tragedy of Chornobyl. On the contrary, the current regime in Moscow increasingly resembles the system that in 1986 caused the largest man-made nuclear catastrophe in human history.
For the first time in human history, an aggressor state has forcibly seized nuclear power plants. Attacks on civilian nuclear facilities in Ukraine, combined with blatant violations of international law, have become an integral part of Russia’s war of aggression.
After occupying the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant, Russia also seized the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. Both facilities were militarized and used by Russia for military leverage and political blackmail. Numerous incidents at these sites continue to pose a grave threat not only to Europe’s security, but to global safety as a whole.
One such example occurred on the night of February 13–14, 2025, when Russia struck the New Safe Confinement at the Chornobyl NPP with a “Geran-2” combat drone. The strike damaged both the outer and inner shells of the NSC arch and disabled the main crane system.
We are grateful to France and the EBRD for their efforts to restore the New Safe Confinement and mobilize funding for this purpose. A donor conference dedicated to its recovery will be held in Kyiv on April 26, 2026. The Group of Seven played a central role in building the NSC — the largest movable land-based structure in the world — and we appreciate the G7 and the French Presidency for leading current restoration efforts after Russia’s barbaric attack.
In March 2025, the IAEA monitoring mission reported multiple explosions at the Zaporizhzhia NPP. On March 26, a diesel fuel tank supplying emergency generators was damaged at the temporarily occupied plant. This incident was a direct consequence of Russia replacing licensed Ukrainian specialists with unqualified personnel.
Russia’s systematic escalation of nuclear terror during its war against Ukraine is approaching a critical point and creating a threat of global scale. Three nuclear power plants continue operating in Ukraine. This winter, dangerous Russian drone flyovers and reckless strikes on critical substations caused emergency reactor shutdowns. Europe was brought dangerously close to disaster.
The world owes gratitude to Ukrainian nuclear energy professionals, who have maintained safe control of reactors under extraordinary wartime conditions. Their professionalism has helped keep Europe safe.
We also need stronger sanctions against Rosatom and restrictions on the aggressor state’s rights within the IAEA. Ukraine has proposed relevant statutory amendments and counts on the support of its partners.
By seizing the Chornobyl and Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plants, Russia violated all key principles of nuclear safety and security established by the IAEA. No state has the right to blackmail the world with the threat of a radiation catastrophe.
Restoring global nuclear safety is impossible without returning full control of all civilian nuclear facilities located on Ukraine’s sovereign territory to Ukraine. Nuclear safety must be fully restored.
Ukraine calls on the international community to take decisive and principled action to ensure political, economic, and legal consequences for Russia’s crimes that undermine global nuclear security.
Protecting Ukraine’s civilian nuclear facilities and nuclear materials within its internationally recognized borders is a global responsibility. Together, we must ensure that the principle of “Never Again” becomes a reality.
We urge the world not to wait for a new Chornobyl.
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