Ukraine Marks 40th Anniversary of Chernobyl Disaster as War Risks Persist
Ukraine is commemorating the 40th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster on Sunday, with concerns that the ongoing conflict with Russia continues to pose risks to nuclear safety.
Kyiv has warned that Russian missiles and drones have repeatedly flown near the site. Last year, a drone damaged a containment structure over the destroyed reactor. Although no radiation leak was detected, repairs are expected to cost hundreds of millions of euro.
The disaster on 26 April 1986 affected large parts of Europe. Millions of people were exposed to radiation, hundreds of thousands were forced to leave their homes and the consequences are still being felt. The number of victims and the long-term health effects remain disputed.
The plant, located about 100 km from Kyiv, is now part of a restricted zone. More than 2,000 employees work there, overseeing the gradual decommissioning process.
Today, the surrounding area appears largely abandoned, with wildlife returning to the region.