April 26, 2026: four decades since the nuclear disaster at Chernobyl

In 2026, 40 years will be marked since the Chernobyl accident, which occurred on April 26, 1986, resulting in the largest release of radioactivity in the history of civil operations.

Almost 8.4 million people from Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine were exposed to radiation. The accident was caused by a flawed reactor design and insufficiently trained personnel, resulting in the release of at least 5% of the radioactive core. The disaster led to significant changes in nuclear safety measures and influenced the fall of the Soviet Union. The Soviet government only acknowledged the need for international assistance in 1990, and the UN began to coordinate aid for the recovery of the area.

In 2016, the UN General Assembly established the International Day of Remembrance of the Disaster. Assistance projects continue, and in 2019, a new containment structure was completed over the old sarcophagus.

The exhibition 'Chernobyl 1986-2026: Memory and Resilience' was opened in 2026 at the IAEA, highlighting the importance of the lessons learned from this accident.