Forty years ago, the world faced one of the largest nuclear disasters – the fourth reactor of the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant exploded. A significant amount of radioactive material was released. Hundreds of thousands of people have been dealing with the consequences of that tragedy for years. To contain the radiation, a sarcophagus was built over the destroyed reactor. Later, more than 40 countries enclosed it with the New Safe Confinement to prevent further disasters. These two structures are what protect against radioactive releases and contamination. Their maintenance and protection are in everyone’s interest. But through its war, Russia is once again bringing the world to the brink of a man-made disaster – Russian-Iranian “shaheds” regularly fly over the plant, and one of them struck the confinement last year. The world must not allow this nuclear terrorism to continue, and the best way is to force Russia to stop its reckless attacks. We remember everyone who gave their lives while dealing with the aftermath of this tragedy. May all the victims of the Chornobyl disaster rest in peace. @United24media

No one could have imagined that decades after Chornobyl – after everything countries have done to ensure radiation safety and protect lives – someone would want to turn Chornobyl, the facilities that remain here, and the Exclusion Zone itself into a territory of war. And the worst thing is that when the Russians came to Chornobyl, it became clear that they had absolutely no understanding of where they had come and what this place was. This is important to understand about today’s Russia – about this state, about what remains of their culture, and about how they treat people, how they treat life as a whole. The Russians tried to advance on Kyiv through this territory and seize the capital. They dug military positions here in restricted forests, drove military equipment across this land, deployed artillery here and fired from this area, destroyed equipment, and abused our people who work at the Chornobyl plant and associated facilities. Some of our Ukrainian servicemembers, including those from the National Guard of Ukraine who were guarding the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant, are still, unfortunately, in captivity in Russia. From an address marking the 40th anniversary of the Chornobyl disaster (1/3)