As delivered

 

Statement 

by H.E. Dr. Andrii Melnyk, LL.M., Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Ukraine 

at the 80th session of General Assembly under agenda item 72 (d) 

on Special commemorative meeting of the Assembly in observance of the fortieth anniversary of the Chornobyl disaster

 

(24 April 2026, New York)

 

 

 

Madam President, 

Under-Secretary-General Ryder,

 

Today we commemorate the victims of the Chornobyl catastrophe.

It remains the worst man-made disaster in human history.

It occurred on Ukrainian soil.

The consequences of that fatal tragedy for Ukraine had a truly apocalyptic dimension.

Ukrainians have paid an enormous human, economic, and environmental price.

Madam President,

We also have to remember that Chornobyl disaster was not an accident.

The catastrophic nuclear explosion was the result of a reckless criminal experiment carried out on direct instructions from Moscow, in blatant violation of all the basic safety protocols.

As a consequence, over 2,200 towns and villages in Ukraine, with a population of 2.4 million people, were severely contaminated with long-lived radionuclides.

More than 300,000 Ukrainians were forcibly resettled and had to leave their homes forever, including the city of Prypiat, which has become the symbol of this tragedy, a ghost town until now.

The Chornobyl Exclusion Zone around the damaged plant covers nearly 2,600 square kilometers - more than three times the size of New York City.

The area within a 10-kilometer radius of the epicenter of the explosion will not be safe for human life for the next 20,000 years.

Around 600,000 so-called liquidators — servicemen and civilians involved in firefighting and cleanup operations — were exposed to extremely high doses of radiation, suffering severe and lasting health damage, particularly cancer.

In the immediate aftermath of the disaster, thousands of Ukrainians died as a result of radiation exposure.

In the first decades after Chornobyl, Ukraine spent up to seven percent of its state budget addressing its devastating consequences.

Ukraine’s cumulative economic losses have exceeded 200 billion US dollars.

The Chornobyl tragedy has touched almost every Ukrainian family and is deeply embedded in our collective memory as part of Ukraine’s national DNA.

Madam President,

I fully share your conclusion to comprehend the lesson of the Chornobyl disaster, we must remember that the Soviet regime in Moscow committed a double crime by attempting to conceal the truth about the extreme danger facing the population.

It revealed the true nature of that regime — especially its complete disregard for human life — and led to the collapse of the USSR just a few years later.

Days after the explosion, the central authorities in Moscow forced people in Kyiv and other cities to hold massive First May Day parades to create the impression that nothing serious had happened.

Many thousands - including schoolchildren - were forced to march through the city under invisible radioactive contamination.

Among those children was my wife. She was compelled to spend hours under the scorching sun, exposed to high levels of radiation.

Like millions of other Ukrainians, and people in the surrounding areas, she continues to live with serious health consequences.

For me, therefore, this is a deeply personal matter of principle - to stand here today for the millions of Ukrainians whose lives were forever affected by the Chornobyl disaster and to ensure that their suffering is never forgotten.

Madam President,

Today, the legacy of Chornobyl is once again being tested, as you stated, by new and serious challenges.

When Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant and the Exclusion Zone were among the first sites seized by Russian troops.

During this temporary occupation, Russians violated all radiation safety protocols and used the site for military purposes as a springboard for their advance toward Kyiv.

It was only thanks to the dedication of our brave personnel, who remained at their posts under extremely difficult conditions, that the continued safe operation of the Chornobyl facilities was ensured and a new nuclear disaster was averted.

They were abducted to Russia forcefully during the retreat and many of them are still kept in captivity in Russia.

Yet the danger has not disappeared even after liberation.

On 13 February 2025, a Russian combat drone struck the New Safe Confinement at the Chornobyl NPP, jeopardizing decades of collective international efforts to make this site safe and secure.

Next Sunday, 26 April, Ukraine will host the International Conference on Chornobyl Recovery and Nuclear Safety.

I call upon all Member States, international organizations, and relevant stakeholders to provide contributions and technical assistance for the repair of the damaged confinement.

Madam President,

As you rightly mentioned in your statement, the Chornobyl site was not the only nuclear facility captured by Russia.

For the first time in history, one country has illegally occupied a nuclear power plant using armed force.

On 4 March 2022, Russian troops seized the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant - the largest nuclear power plant in Europe - which remains under occupation to this day as a nuclear hostage, terrorizing not only Ukraine but the entire international community.

This nuclear blackmail, this nuclear nightmare must end.

Russia has to return the plant to Ukraine immediately and unconditionally to ensure its safety in accordance with IAEA standards.

UN Member States must stop looking away and finally introduce coordinated sanctions against Russia’s nuclear energy industry.

Distinguished members,

We must act collectively and decisively — the world cannot afford another Chornobyl disaster.

Through our joint efforts, we can transform the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone into a space of recovery and sustainable development, contributing to a safer and more secure future for all.

I thank you.