U.S. State Department emphasizes priority of nuclear safety on Chornobyl anniversary

The U.S. Department of State, in a statement marking the 40th anniversary of the Chornobyl nuclear power plant disaster, stressed the importance of prioritizing nuclear safety – both at the site itself and around the world.

According to Ukrinform, the statement was published on the State Department’s website.

The department noted that the Chornobyl disaster, which occurred 40 years ago, permanently changed the global understanding of nuclear safety.

The State Department also honored the memory of those who died and paid tribute to the “incredible courage of the first responders and innocent people” in Ukraine, Belarus, Russia, and other countries who “faced this tragedy head-on and continue to deal with its effects today.”

“The United States responded to the crisis, assisting with the cleanup of the disaster and containment of the site. We continue to prioritize nuclear safety at the site and around the world today,” the statement said.

The State Department added that the Chornobyl disaster forced the United States and its partners to develop stricter international standards and improve safety protocols that “protect communities worldwide.”

“Nuclear power must remain in responsible hands committed to transparency. The United States is leading the way in ensuring nuclear energy remains safe, secure, and reliable for the future,” the State Department stressed.

Read also: Ukraine’s envoy urges global sanctions on Russia’s nuclear industry at UN Commemoration of Chornobyl

As a reminder, Sunday, April 26, marks 40 years since the world’s worst man-made disaster. In the early hours of April 26, 1986, at 1:23, a powerful explosion occurred at the fourth reactor unit of the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant, destroying part of the reactor building and turbine hall.