April 26 – International Chernobyl Disaster Remembrance Day

Today we commemorate the victims of the worst technogenic catastrophe in history, which broke out 35 years ago. On April 26, 1986 an explosion of the 4^th reactor at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant led to radioactive contamination of the large part of Ukraine, Belorussia, Russia as well as some other European states.

We honor the memory of all those, who have suffered from the tragedy. We bow our heads in front of the heroes whom we call “liquidators”. Firefighters, soldiers, doctors, ordinary people, who unselfishly gave their own lives and health to eliminate and reduce the consequences of the nuclear reactor explosion. We will never forget their deeds and will always remember them. Our hearts and prayers are with the people who suffered from radioactive contamination – especially children.

We sincerely commend tremendous work carried out by the Irish organization “The Greater Chernobyl Cause” and its Founder Ms. Fiona Corcoran. The cordial work with the victims of the poisonous radioactive fallout is priceless. I would like to thank “The Greater Chernobyl Cause” for the great efforts to transform the desperate lives of abandoned children and ease the suffering of the elderly in Russia, Kazakhstan and Ukraine.

On International Chernobyl Disaster Remembrance Day we join in a global candle lightning ceremony to commemorate the 35^th anniversary of the devastating Chernobyl nuclear accident. Hope that Chernobyl will never repeat.

Yuriy Filatov,

Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Ireland