These days, several events dedicated to the 40th anniversary of the Chornobyl disaster are taking place simultaneously in the Austrian capital. The Director General of the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant, Serhii Tarakanov, participated in the events, emphasizing the unity of Ukraine’s position on the international stage, as well as the key role of Chornobyl NPP in ensuring nuclear safety, preserving memory, and fostering international cooperation, even 40 years after the disaster.

On April 13, 2026, the photo exhibition “Chornobyl 1986–2026: Memory and Resilience” opened at the headquarters of the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna. The event became part of Ukraine’s international agenda within the framework of the 10th Review Meeting of the Parties to the Convention on Nuclear Safety. The exhibition was implemented by the State Agency of Ukraine on Exclusion Zone Management in cooperation with the Permanent Mission of Ukraine to the International Organizations in Vienna, with the support of the Government of Norway.

Opening the exhibition, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi stated: “The 40th anniversary of the Chornobyl disaster is a time for reflection. It is impossible to build the future without the past – and this is precisely the message conveyed by this exhibition.”

The exhibition featured three thematic sections: documentary photography by Gerd Ludwig, a block dedicated to the natural recovery of the Exclusion Zone by Denys Vyshnevskyi, and an interactive project by Oleksandr Syrota incorporating augmented reality elements.

The Director General of Chornobyl NPP, Serhii Tarakanov, called on the IAEA to increase pressure on the Russian Federation and Rosatom in connection with their actions at nuclear facilities during the full-scale invasion. He also noted: “Forty years ago, Chornobyl became a global symbol of catastrophe. For us, it is not only history – it is a daily mission: to preserve memory, ensure safety, and operate under unprecedented challenges. Today, the Exclusion Zone is not only a place of tragedy, but also a space for recovery and international solidarity.”

On April 14, a special event titled “40 Years After Chornobyl: Technogenic Risks and the Resilience of Energy and Economic Systems in the Context of Contemporary Security Challenges” was held at the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. The program included presentations on long-term consequences, the current state of the Exclusion Zone, international cooperation, and a concluding discussion.

Speaking at the event, Serhii Tarakanov noted: “Forty years ago, the word “Chornobyl” became a global synonym for a man-made disaster. This was a failure of technology as well as of a closed political system. The world united to confront an invisible enemy — radiation… But this time, the threat is not a technical malfunction or human error in the control room. This is a deliberate and targeted strategy of nuclear terrorism orchestrated by the Russian Federation. When Russian troops seized our facility, they did not merely occupy a power plant — they took the safety of an entire continent hostage. Russia has transformed nuclear sites into protective shields for its artillery and instruments of global blackmail. It uses the fear that Chornobyl etched into the world’s DNA as a weapon. By attacking Ukraine’s energy infrastructure and occupying the Zaporizhzhia NPP, it is testing whether the international community has the courage to ensure its own safety standards are upheld.

The Director General of the Chornobyl NPP called for the complete exclusion of Rosatom from the European market and the imposition of sweeping sanctions on Russia’s nuclear sector. ‘Continuing to do business with those who support nuclear blackmail means financing the very threats we are trying to prevent,’ he stressed. ‘We must move from expressions of “deep concern” to decisive action.’ It is a strategic absurdity to allow Rosatom to remain a player in the European energy market whilst it serves as a logistical and ideological cover for nuclear terrorism. A state-owned corporation that facilitates the illegal seizure of nuclear power plants and uses its expertise to turn civilian nuclear infrastructure into a weapon has no place in a civilised energy community”.

A side event scheduled for April 15 will feature presentations on “Chornobyl: 40 Years On,” a documentary segment on the activities of Chornobyl NPP, and a panel discussion titled “Global Lessons and Current Challenges,” followed by a Q&A session.

Such a concentrated presentation of Ukrainian topics in Vienna demonstrates that Chornobyl remains not only a symbol of past tragedy, but also a platform for global dialogue on nuclear safety, environmental resilience, and responsibility for the future.