On 26 April 2026, a ceremony was held in Vilnius to honour the memory of the liquidators of the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant disaster. Flowers were laid at the “Chornobyl Mother” monument, located in one of the city’s oldest parks – Sapieha Park. In keeping with established tradition, the event was organized by the Lithuanian branch of the International Organization “Chornobyl Union”.

Forty years ago, Lithuanian liquidators came to Chornobyl to stand in defence of humanity at one of the most difficult moments of one of the largest man-made disasters in history. We sincerely thank all liquidators for their heroism, sacrifice and courage.

During the ceremony, Deputy Chief of the Embassy of Ukraine in Lithuania, Viktor Hamotskyi stressed the importance of preserving the memory of the Chornobyl tragedy and of today’s responsibility for nuclear safety: “Russia’s reckless actions – the occupation of the Chornobyl NPP in 2022, the ongoing militarization of nuclear facilities, including the occupation of the Zaporizhzhia NPP, nuclear blackmail, and the use of nuclear risks as an instrument of pressure; the constant flights of Russian-Iranian Shahed drones over the Chornobyl NPP, one of which last year struck the confinement structure of Reactor 4 – all of this poses a direct threat to global security. Through its war, russia is once again bringing the world to the brink of a man-made disaster.”

He emphasized that the international community must remain united in holding russia accountable, strengthening nuclear safety, and preventing the tragedies of the past from being repeated: “More pressure on the aggressor is needed, as well as more weapons to strengthen Ukraine’s defence capabilities. Thanks to the support of our allies, including Lithuania, Ukraine today stands stronger – on the battlefield, in the economy and in diplomacy.”

With deep respect, we bow our heads in memory of those who gave their lives to protect the future of generations to come.