Statement by the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine, Matthias Schmale, on the occasion of International Chornobyl Disaster Remembrance Day

The impact still lingers today, 39 years later, as we remember families who lost their loved ones, their health and their homes. 

And we honor those who stepped in to help, often at great personal cost.

I visited the Chornobyl nuclear plant and the city of Prypiat two weeks ago. It’s hard to describe the feeling of standing in a place where life once thrived—schools, homes, parks—now silent.  But except for silence and emptiness, I've met people working hard to help manage the consequences of this tragedy.

We can never forget their hard work, which keeps us safe.

The Chornobyl disaster is a warning for us all. Just recently, in February 2025, the sarcophagus - a product of joint international efforts to safeguard humanity - was damaged by a Russian drone, causing fire and bringing an unspeakable danger to the already devastating war.

We must insist that military activities near nuclear power plants cease and never be repeated. The UN will continue to support Chornobyl nuclear power station to help reduce the risk of a nuclear disaster.