Ukraine commemorates 40th anniversary of Chernobyl disaster amid Russian invasion threats
Ukraine marked the 40th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster on April 26, 2026, as the Russian invasion posed new risks to the plant. The event coincided with heightened concerns over potential radioactive catastrophe at the site. The city of Pripyat, which was evacuated after the 1986 disaster, was revisited by a former resident during the commemoration.
Timelines
Sources
Ukraine on Sunday marks the 40th anniversary of the explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant – the worst civilian nuclear disaster in history. It comes four years into the Russian invasion that has put the plant once again under threat and raised risks of another radioactive catastrophe.
After the catastrophic accident in the nearby nuclear reactor, the city of Pripyat had to be completely evacuated. Some 50,000 people left their homes forever. DW visited the town with a former resident 40 years later.