On April 26, 2026, commemorative events were held at the Chornobyl NPP site to mark the 40 th anniversary of the Chornobyl disaster.

High-level international and national delegations attended the event, including President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Moldova Maia Sandu, First Deputy Prime Minister – Minister of Energy of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency Rafael Grossi, President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development Odile Renaud-Basso, as well as European Commissioners Valdis Dombrovskis and Dan Jørgensen, energy ministers of partner countries, and other distinguished guests. The participants paid tribute to the memory of the accident’s liquidators and all victims of the tragedy, expressing deep gratitude for their courage,heroism and self-sacrifice. 

“Today, we are once again in the spotlight of the entire world. If we draw conclusions from all the lessons of Chornobyl, both past and present, one thing is clear: the most important thing is always to tell the truth. The Chornobyl NPP management uses every platform to do that”, said Serhii Tarakanov, the Director General of the Chornobyl NPP, during the events.

During the visit to the site,President Volodymyr Zelenskyy presented state awards to Chornobyl NPP personnel, accident liquidators, and rescuers.

Oleksandr Novikov, Project and Programme Manager of the Chornobyl NPP Engineering Centre, was awarded the Order of Merit, 1st Class.

The Order of Merit, 3rd Class, was awarded to:

- Oleksandr Belobrov, Engineer of the Chornobyl NPP Decommissioning Department, who during the Russian occupation of the plant in 2022 led the repair team in eliminating equipment malfunctions and conducted inspections of the Shelter Object above Unit 4.

- Ruslan Hnatchuk - Deputy Head of the Shelter and NSC Operation Department, who was involved in mitigating the consequences of the Russian drone hitstrike on the New Safe Confinement in February 2025. He organized the safe water supply for rescuers and ensured the operation of drainage systems under adverse weather conditions.

- Serhii Honcharov, Shift Supervisor of the Radioactive Waste Management Department, who during the Russian occupation of the plant in 2022, organized the safe operation of water treatment systems and storage facilities, ensuring uninterrupted radioactive waste management under extremely challenging conditions.

Vasyl Sydorenko, Electrical Fitter of the Instrumentation and Control Department, was awarded the Order of Courage, 2nd Class. On 26 April 1986, he participated in stabilising Unit 4 and developed a power supply scheme for the pumps. He also carried out repairs and maintenance of boilers and gas turbine units to enable their restart after the forced shutdown caused by the accident.

Natalia Dyachuk, an employee of the Catering Department, was decorated with the Order of Princess Olga, 3rd Class. As a staff member of canteen No. 1, she provided meals to Ukrainian personnel held hostage by Russian forces during the occupation in March-April 2022. Despite limited supplies and pressure from the occupiers, her efforts enabled more than 200 workers to continue their duties at the industrial site.

An important event held as part of the commemoration was the International Chornobyl Conference on Nuclear Safety and Recovery.

“Decades after the Chornobyl disaster, Russia has turned the Chornobyl site into a war zone, and partner countries must limit its capacity for the sake of global security,” stated President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at opening of the conference. He also expressed gratitude to international partners supporting Ukraine and contributing to the protection of lives. The Conference launched the effort of mobilizing funds for the restoration of the New Safe Confinement. According to preliminary estimates, the cost of restoration and safety enhancement following the Russian drone strike in February 2025 amounts to approximately €500 million.

An agreement was also signed with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, which provides for the allocation of €30 million for the initial phase of restoration.

“International partners have already announced initial commitments totalling nearly €100 million. These funds will be directed towards restoring the New Safe Confinement at the Chornobyl NPP and strengthening nuclear safety in Ukraine,” said Denys Shmyhal, summarizing the conference results.

The conference participants adopted a joint statement supporting Ukraine’s efforts to mobilize resources for the restoration of the NSC. The document was endorsed by 24 states, as reported on the official website of the Ministry of Energy of Ukraine.