Day Of Remembrance Of The Chernobyl Tragedy

The Day of Remembrance of the Chernobyl Tragedy is a commemorative day that is observed annually on April 26th in Belarus, Ukraine, and Russia. It honors all the people who lost their lives during one of the deadliest power plant accidents in human history. The Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant was located in Pripyat, Ukraine—which is a city close to the Belarus border.

The reactor was commissioned in 1977 and operated until the accident on April 26, 1986. On this date, a sudden power surge led to the explosion of Reactor 4. This caused large quantities of radioactive particles to be released into the atmosphere and contaminate parts of Belarus, Ukraine, and Russia.

Little Known Facts About The Chernobyl Tragedy

Although many people around the world know that Chernobyl was a nuclear accident that happened during the 1980s in Ukraine, few people know much more about it than that. That’s why we’ve decided to list some of the facts that people might want to know while they’re reading about the Day of Remembrance of the Chernobyl Tragedy holiday.

  • The Chernobyl nuclear plant had four 1,000-megawatt reactors, plus two additional reactors that were being built.
  • On April 25, 1986, Soviet technicians initiated a turbine test on Unit 4. They disabled the emergency core cooling system and other safety systems to perform the tests.
  • At 1:23 AM on April 26, 1986, three rapid-fire explosions blew the steel and concrete lid off the reactor.
  • Chernobyl ended up releasing 100 times more radiation than the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan.
  • The Soviet Union attempted to cover up the tragedy.
  • Chernobyl has become somewhat of a tourist attraction.
  • The cleanup at Chernobyl is still a project that is being worked on.

Observing The Day of Remembrance Of The Chernobyl Tragedy

On this day, ceremonies are held in Belarus, Ukraine, and Russia to remember those who were killed during this tragedy. It is also a day on which some people protest against the current government of Belarus.

Where is it celebrated?
Belarus (Observance)
When is it?
This year (2024)
April 26 Friday
Next year (2025)
April 26 Saturday
Last year (2023)
April 26 Wednesday