Ukraine Marks 36th Anniversary of Nuclear Disaster at Chernobyl

Ukraine marked the 36th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster on April 26, honoring emergency workers who remained in the area during Russia’s occupation of parts of northern Ukraine in recent months.

Ukrainian forces retook the power plant and nearby areas in early April. Footage recorded soon after showed trenches dug in the exclusion zone by Russian soldiers.

On April 26, ceremonies were held at the plant site, marking the 1986 explosions that spewed radiation in the region — the worst nuclear accident on record.

This footage, released by Ukraine’s State Emergency Services (SES), shows workers receiving recognition near the well-known Monument to Those Who Saved the World.

Among those in attendance were Interior Minister Denys Monastyrsky and SES chief Sergey Kruk. Emergency services said that in addition to the ongoing threat posed by the radiation, Russian forces left the area littered with explosives. Credit: SES Ukraine via Storyful

Video transcript

[NO AUDIO]