The Daily Populous Sunday April 26th, 2026 evening edition
Authored by ukrinform.net and submitted by jackytheblade

In a statement marking the 40th anniversary of the Chornobyl nuclear disaster, Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged states that value stability to stop Russia’s nuclear blackmail.

According to Ukrinform, the statement was published on the Foreign Ministry’s website.

The ministry recalled that on April 26, 1986, the world was shaken by the largest man-made disaster in human history – the Chornobyl nuclear power plant accident.

“Today, we honor the memory of the victims of this tragedy and the heroism of those who stood in the path of the invisible death. Yet, Chornobyl is not merely a story of technical failure; it is a verdict on a Soviet system built on crimes and clinical lies – a regime that modern-day Russia is attempting to revive today,” the statement reads.

The ministry emphasized that the scale of the disaster was unprecedented: radiation levels in the destroyed reactor reached 20,000 roentgens (a lethal dose is 500 roentgens over five hours), radioactive releases exceeded the Hiroshima bomb by 30 times, more than 300,000 people permanently left their homes, and a total of 8.5 million people across Europe were exposed to radiation.

It noted that the exclusion zone is comparable in size to Luxembourg, and that a 10-kilometer radius around the plant will remain dangerous for 20,000 years.

“The Soviet regime was guilty not only of the safety violations that led to the accident. Its true crime was the deliberate cover-up: the world remained unaware of the catastrophe for at least two days, while the authorities kept their own citizens in the dark for weeks,” the ministry stressed.

It also recalled that on May 1, 1986, when radiation had already spread widely, thousands of people in Kyiv were forced to take part in a public parade.

“Today, Moscow continues this tradition of deception, using nuclear facilities as tools of blackmail. Russia has learned no lessons; instead, it has weaponized nuclear danger,” the statement said.

The ministry paid tribute to the “feat of approximately 600,000 liquidators who saved the world at the cost of their own health and lives.”

It also noted that Ukraine now has a new generation of heroes – energy workers and nuclear power plant staff. During the winter of 2025-2026, amid massive Russian attacks, Ukrainian nuclear specialists maintained control over reactors under extreme conditions after emergency shutdowns caused by strikes on substations and drone overflights, it said.

“Their professionalism has once again saved a continent that stood on the brink of disaster,” the ministry stated.

The Foreign Ministry also referred to a strike by a Russian Geran-2 drone on the New Safe Confinement in February 2025, calling it “an act of particular barbarism.”

It said Ukraine welcomes France’s leadership, the efforts of the G7, the EBRD, and the EU in restoring the unique structure, and expects concrete commitments at the International Donor Conference in Kyiv on April 26, 2026.

“Our call on this day is simple: it is time to end nuclear blackmail. We appeal to all states that value global stability. Your role in increasing pressure on the aggressor is critical. The international community must prove that it has learned the lessons of 1986,” the statement said.

The MFA called for the full isolation of Russia’s nuclear industry, sanctions against Rosatom, and restrictions on Russia’s rights within the IAEA. It also said Ukraine is proposing amendments to the agency’s statute to allow limitations on the rights of aggressor states that violate nuclear safety principles.

“Russia must immediately return control of the Zaporizhzhia NPP to its rightful operator – Ukraine. Every additional air defense system and interceptor covering Ukrainian cities and its nuclear plants is a guarantee of stability for Europe. Do not wait for a new Chornobyl. Act now to protect life,” the ministry emphasized.

Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha wrote on X that for Ukraine, the Chornobyl disaster is not only history but living memory, sacrifice, and resilience.

He noted that four decades later, the lessons of the accident are once again being challenged, stressing that Russia’s actions – from the occupation of the Chornobyl site in 2022 to the militarization of nuclear facilities, including Zaporizhzhia NPP, and nuclear blackmail – pose a direct threat to global security.

“Weaponizing nuclear risks is unacceptable and must be firmly opposed. There can be no tolerance for nuclear coercion or terrorism. The international community must remain united in holding Russia accountable, strengthening nuclear safety, and ensuring that the tragedies of the past are never repeated,” Sybiha said.

As previously reported by Ukrinform, the U.S. State Department also emphasized nuclear safety priorities on the anniversary of the Chornobyl disaster.

SilentBumblebee3225 on April 26th, 2026 at 15:56 UTC »

Nuclear plan disaster has very different consequences than atomic bomb. Atomic bomb by designed uses all radioactive material to release energy. The Hiroshima "Little Boy" bomb used 64 kg of enriched uranium, while the Nagasaki "Fat Man" bomb used 6.5 kg of plutonium, producing 16 kt and 21 kt of energy, respectively. People were able to live in those cities within 10 years. In Chernobyl 6000 kg of nuclear fuel was released. 400,000 kg of nucleotide fuel still remains in Chernobyl

Beginning-Wish-4273 on April 26th, 2026 at 14:07 UTC »

Invoking Chornobyl isn’t just symbolism — it’s a reminder of how high the stakes get around nuclear sites. Even the hint of “nuclear leverage” hits differently when people remember what that disaster looked like. That’s why this kind of pressure tactic lands so hard internationally.

Mo_h on April 26th, 2026 at 13:04 UTC »

In case the 'fog of war; has erased our collective memories

> The Chernobyl disaster occurred on 26 April 1986 at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in northern Ukraine (then part of the Soviet Union). It remains the worst nuclear accident in history, both in terms of cost and casualties. Today marks the 40th anniversary of the catastrophe.