40th Anniversary of the Chornobyl Nuclear Disaster
On April 26th, the world will commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Chornobyl Nuclear Disaster in Ukraine. The Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC) asks all Canadians to pause in remembrance of the victims of this terrible tragedy.
On April 26, 1986, a reactor at the Chornobyl nuclear power plant near Prypyat, Ukraine, exploded and melted down.
The disaster affected the lives of hundreds of thousands of people, with the effect still being felt today. The effects of the disaster were made far worse by the Soviet Communist regime’s obfuscations, lies and attempts to cover up the scale of the disaster from the world.
In February 2022, Russia launched a genocidal war of aggression against Ukraine, attempting to destroy the Ukrainian state and annihilate the Ukrainian people.
Among the litany of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by the invading Russian armies are attacks on and shelling of nuclear power plants in Ukraine.
Russia has attacked and damaged the New Safe Confinement (NSC) at the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant. Russian attacks on Ukrainian nuclear power plants are acts of nuclear terrorism that threaten the entire world with nuclear disaster and unimaginable devastation.
The Ukrainian Canadian Congress calls on Canada and our allies to urgently provide to Ukraine all necessary weapons to defeat the invading Russian armies. Russia – a criminal, terrorist state – must be isolated from the international community.
Chornobyl is both a symbol of loss and a reminder of the importance of accountability. As we commemorate this anniversary, we honour those affected and reaffirm our commitment to ensuring that the Chornobyl disaster is never forgotten — and never repeated.
We mourn the thousands of victims of the Chornobyl disaster. We pray for the health of those whose lives are still affected by Chornobyl.
May the Memory of the Victims Be Eternal. Вічная Пам’ять.
Several commemorative events are taking place in communities across Canada. More information is available here: https://www.ucc.ca/ucc-chornobyl-2026/
