The bells of Chernobyl resonate in our memory every April as the anniversary of the accident at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant approaches. This April is особливо significant — on April 26, it marks 40 years since one of the largest man-made disasters in human history.
A roundtable titled “40th Anniversary of the Chernobyl Tragedy: Lessons of the Past and Contemporary Nuclear Safety Challenges” was held at the premises of Energoatom in Kyiv. The event brought together representatives of civil society (including Chernobyl cleanup workers and their descendants), current energy professionals confronting Russian nuclear terror in the 21st century, scientists, educators, domestic and international experts, and high-ranking officials.
The event was organized by Energoatom, the Ukrainian Peace Council, the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, and the NGO Ukrainian Nuclear Society.
Opening the event, acting head of Energoatom and Chernobyl cleanup participant Pavlo Kovtonyuk emphasized that April 1986 forever changed not only millions of lives but also the consciousness of humanity, which realized that nuclear safety must be an absolute and unconditional priority. “Responsibility for the peaceful atom lies with each of us,” he stated. “Ukraine, more than anyone else, has deeply learned these lessons.” He also invited participants to honor the memory of the Chernobyl liquidators and Ukraine’s defenders who gave their lives for the country’s freedom and sovereignty.
In a greeting from the President of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, academician Anatolii Zahorodnii, delivered by Vice President Oleh Rafalskyi, it was noted that more than 2,000 employees from 42 academic institutions were involved in mitigating the consequences of the disaster. The message emphasized that today, amid Russia’s armed aggression against Ukraine—accompanied by unprecedented manifestations of nuclear terrorism and constant threats to nuclear and regional security worldwide—the Ukrainian scientific community remains ready to play a leading role in supporting nuclear safety policy, advancing cutting-edge technologies, and developing effective solutions to counter modern threats.
Mykhailo Zgurovsky, Head of the Ukrainian Peace Council and an academician of the National Academy of Sciences, also addressed the participants. “We have gathered not only to commemorate this tragic date but also to deeply reflect on the transformation of the global nuclear safety system,” he said. The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster demonstrated that even highly advanced nations are not immune to nuclear risks. The war in Ukraine has introduced a fundamentally new reality, where nuclear infrastructure becomes a target of military actions. The world has witnessed unprecedented challenges: the occupation of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, a drone strike on the protective shelter of Chernobyl’s fourth reactor, and constant missile and drone threats in areas where Ukrainian nuclear plants—critical to the country’s energy balance—are located. This is a new reality combining military risks and nuclear threats with potentially global consequences.
Today, nine countries possess or effectively possess nuclear weapons, Zgurovsky noted, while interest in acquiring nuclear status is growing in other regions. This raises a crucial question: what should be done next to prevent catastrophic global scenarios? The roundtable aimed to send a clear signal to the international community that nuclear safety is inseparable from issues of war and peace, and that responsibility for global security must be shared by all nations.
Tadayoshi Hiraki, a representative of the Embassy of Japan in Ukraine, also addressed the participants. He noted that Japan provides comprehensive assistance to Ukraine in areas such as energy, demining, education, healthcare, and financial support.
Mr. Hiraki recalled that he personally was at the site of the Fukushima Daiichi accident at the time and therefore understands the complexity of such crises, as well as the challenges Ukraine faces today. He stressed the importance of a unified global response condemning Russia’s actions and supporting Ukraine. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Japan has provided €27 million through the International Atomic Energy Agency to ensure the safety of Ukraine’s nuclear facilities and will continue coordinating with international partners to advance nuclear safety initiatives.
What is the anchor of stability for the energy system?
“Transformation of Nuclear Power Plants from 1986 to the Present” was the topic of the speech by the head of Energoatom, Pavlo Kovtonyuk, which opened the expert segment of the roundtable.
“Today I want to speak not only about the lessons of the past, but also about the tremendous path Ukrainian nuclear energy has gone through over these years,” he stated. This is a story of how safety became an absolute priority, how the highest global standards were achieved, and what unprecedented challenges the sector has faced during full-scale war.
“Energoatom today employs 25,000 highly qualified specialists, including 359 uniquely trained licensed operational staff,” he noted. “After gaining independence, Ukraine chose a path of maximum transparency: we joined international agreements and voluntarily opened our nuclear facilities to the strictest international oversight. For us, international control is a tool for continuous improvement.”
He added that a comprehensive safety upgrade program has been implemented, financed by the company and European bank loans totaling UAH 39.5 billion and €600 million. “We have completed 1,116 out of 1,295 planned measures. Compliance with these strict requirements is essential for extending the operational life of our power units.”
Ukrainian nuclear energy has become “an anchor of stability” for the national power system during wartime. Today, nine nuclear units generate more than half of Ukraine’s electricity, and during peak winter periods this share reached 70%.
Despite the war, Ukraine continues planning for the future. Projects to complete Units 3 and 4 at Khmelnytskyi NPP are ongoing, while preparations have begun for Units 5 and 6 using AP1000 technology by Westinghouse Electric Company.
Ukraine and Westinghouse plan to build nine such reactors across multiple sites, including South Ukraine and Rivne NPPs, as well as a new site near Chyhyryn.
Small modular reactors are also being considered as part of decentralization efforts. Up to 20 such units are planned, which will enhance resilience and flexibility of the energy system. However, Europe’s energy security remains impossible without the full de-occupation of Ukrainian nuclear facilities.
Lessons of Chernobyl and Fukushima
Volodymyr Kholosha, President of the Ukrainian Nuclear Society and former Minister of Emergencies, spoke on “Lessons of Chernobyl and Fukushima: from national tragedies to global responsibility.”
Both accidents are classified at the highest Level 7 on the international nuclear event scale. While Fukushima also caused radioactive releases, its масштаби were significantly smaller than Chernobyl’s, which had far-reaching environmental, health, and economic impacts—estimated at around $300 billion over 30 years.
Following Fukushima, global nuclear safety standards were revised, particularly regarding risks such as prolonged power loss affecting reactor cooling systems.
Chernobyl: the human dimension
Yurii Shcherbak, a renowned writer and statesman, reflected on the disaster’s legacy.
“Forty years ago, black radioactive swans rose over Ukraine, marking the beginning of a new era of тревога, transformation, and global instability,” he said.
He described the explosion of the RBMK reactor as the result of systemic technological flaws and human error rather than war or terrorism.
Despite generational shifts and fading awareness, he emphasized that Chernobyl remains a permanent warning to humanity.
According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, as of 2025 there are 416 reactors operating worldwide, with 66 under construction. Nuclear energy continues to carry risks that require constant vigilance.
He concluded by calling for support of international nuclear safety initiatives and emphasizing that now is a time not only for remembrance, but for action.
Occupation of Zaporizhzhia NPP as a Global Nuclear Threat
Dmytro Verbytskyi, Acting Director General of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, described the occupation of the facility and its implications for nuclear and radiation safety worldwide.
“I witnessed the events of early March 2022 firsthand,” he said. “I could not believe it was possible—until it happened. On the night of March 3–4, Russian forces seized the plant. For the first time in history, a major nuclear facility was occupied, creating unprecedented risks for global nuclear safety.”
The plant came under heavy fire, including tank shelling. Despite life-threatening conditions, operational staff continued to maintain nuclear safety.
Russian forces turned the plant into a military base, using facilities to store weapons and deploy troops. Training grounds for drone operators targeting civilian areas, including Nikopol, were also established.
Since September 2022, the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant has stopped generating electricity, and its perimeter has been mined. The plant has experienced 14 total blackouts, including a 30-day outage, during which it relied solely on diesel generators.
The destruction of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant further complicated cooling water supply.
Verbytskyi stressed that only de-occupation can restore nuclear safety.
The Consequences of the “Chernobyl Syndrome”
Academician Anatolii Nosovskyi highlighted long-term social and policy distortions caused by Chernobyl, including ineffective compensation systems and widespread myths.
He noted discrepancies in radiation exposure data among cleanup workers, attributing them to poor planning and safety violations.
He also questioned aspects of social policy, citing a mismatch between rising disability rates and stable mortality statistics.
Nosovskyi suggested that the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone could serve as a scientific and technological hub for nuclear decommissioning and innovation, while warning against turning it into a mass tourism site.
Intellectual Contribution
Summarizing the discussion, the moderator of the roundtable and Head of the Ukrainian Peace Council, Mykhailo Zgurovsky, noted that the participants had made a significant intellectual contribution to the study of the consequences of the Chernobyl disaster and to the understanding of contemporary nuclear threats.
To present the final documents, he gave the floor to the Head of the Editorial Commission — Vice President of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Academician Oleh Rafalskyi. He focused the participants’ attention on the key provisions of the Roundtable Declaration, as well as on the proposals put forward by speakers and other participants during discussions on recommendations in the fields of nuclear and international security, science and expert activity, information policy, international cooperation, and other issues raised during the meeting.
According to the moderator, the materials developed can be regarded as an important outcome of the joint efforts of scientists, experts, representatives of the public sector, and civil society. Mykhailo Zgurovsky emphasized that the adopted documents should become an effective tool of influence: they will be communicated to Ukrainian state authorities, international organizations, and civil society.
He also recalled that on April 27, a Review Conference of the parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons will take place at the United Nations, marking the 40th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster. At this conference, the results of the roundtable will be presented, and the materials prepared by the editorial commission will be submitted to the international community in a concise format.
The recommendations adopted following the roundtable emphasize that nuclear risks are global in nature and require shared responsibility among states, international organizations, the scientific community, and civil society. Particular attention is given to incorporating the lessons of Chernobyl and the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, as well as addressing new threats related to war and attacks on nuclear infrastructure.
Key proposals include:
— strengthening the physical protection of nuclear facilities;
— improving emergency response systems and civil protection measures;
— enhancing international monitoring and information exchange with the involvement of independent experts and civil society organizations.
The document also highlights the need to develop international safety mechanisms for nuclear facilities in conflict zones and to ensure compliance with international humanitarian law. It calls for strengthening nuclear non-proliferation regimes, increasing transparency in nuclear policy, supporting scientific research, training a new generation of specialists, and developing international expert platforms.
The roundtable session was attended by journalists Larysa Ostrolutska and Dmytro Shulikin.
Photo by Dmytro Shulikin.