Ukrainians defy war to commemorate Chernobyl disaster's 40th anniversary

On the evening of April 26, 2025, despite official warnings against large gatherings and wartime curfews, the people of Slavutych, Ukraine, came together to mark the 40th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster. In the central square, they lit candles arranged in the shape of a large radiation hazard symbol. The catastrophic explosion at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant on April 26, 1986, revealed serious safety lapses and government secrecy within the Soviet Union, which delayed reporting the incident for two days. Approximately 600,000 'liquidators' were sent to manage the aftermath, with 30 workers succumbing to the effects of the explosion or acute radiation sickness. The disaster exposed millions to harmful radiation and necessitated the permanent evacuation of numerous towns in Ukraine and Belarus. Slavutych, established in late 1986 to accommodate plant workers and their families, is situated around 50 km from the site of the former plant. The city experienced a short Russian occupation during the war's early phase and faced severe winters, including the last one when power outages forced residents to cook over open flames.