Today, 26 April, marks the 40th anniversary of the Chornobyl nuclear disaster – an accident caused by a dangerous reactor test carried out on Moscow’s orders. According to Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna, this tragic anniversary serves as a reminder of how devastating and long-lasting the consequences of nuclear disasters can be, and how Russia’s continued attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, including nuclear facilities, increase the risk of another catastrophic tragedy.
“Following the Chornobyl nuclear disaster, radioactive contamination spread across Europe – nearly 8.5 million people were exposed to radiation, more than 145,000 square kilometres of land were contaminated with radionuclides, and around 300,000 people were forced to leave their homes permanently,” Tsahkna said. “The consequences of Soviet negligence are still felt today: tens of thousands of people and their descendants live with illnesses caused by radiation exposure, and an exclusion zone roughly the size of Luxembourg still surrounds Chornobyl. The world must not forget these consequences.”
The foreign minister stressed that Russia’s aggression against Ukraine clearly shows that the Kremlin has learned nothing from the 1986 disaster, continuing its irresponsible attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.
“For the first time in human history, an aggressor is using nuclear facilities as a military tool. The Chornobyl Exclusion Zone was one of the first targets, occupied by Russia for 36 days at the start of its full-scale war of aggression. Zaporizhzhia – Europe’s largest nuclear power plant – has been under occupation for four years. Russia has turned the plant into a military base, halted its normal operations, deported local experts, and restricted access for International Atomic Energy Agency safety specialists. All this raises the level of risk across the region and increases the danger of a nuclear catastrophe worldwide,” Tsahkna noted.
The foreign minister emphasised that the only way to restore safety is the full and immediate withdrawal of Russian forces from Ukraine’s nuclear facilities, the return of infrastructure to Ukrainian control, the release of all unlawfully detained persons, and a greater international isolation of Russia, particularly within energy organisations.
“It is also necessary to increase economic and political pressure on Russia, including imposing sanctions on the Russian state nuclear energy corporation Rosatom. We must not allow the Chornobyl tragedy to be repeated,” the foreign minister added.
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