On the 18th Anniversary of the Chornobyl Nuclear Catastrophe
April 26, 1986. The explosion of the reactor on the Chornobyl NPP astounded Ukraine and shook the
planet. But after a few minutes, while the world didn't realize what had happened, the Ukrainian
fire-fighters, having forgotten that they were just humans and not immortal gods, were extinguishing the
furious fire alongside two hundred tons of the nuclear fuel lurking in the torn body of the dead power
unit. It could have been thrown out into the environment and scattered around any moment, thus
immensely increasing the scale of the tragedy.
The Earth was one step from a really worldwide disaster, and if it happened, it could heavily strike
dozens of millions of people in the Northern Hemisphere. And our ordinary fire-fighters, simple Prypyat
guys, having subdued the hell-fire, went into eternity. Their names entered the history of the Earth and
will remain in people's memory forever. The technical personnel of the nuclear power plant, which was
that time on duty and immediately rushed to mitigate the disaster, to stop its spreading, deserves the
eternal recognition of the mankind.
planet. But after a few minutes, while the world didn't realize what had happened, the Ukrainian
fire-fighters, having forgotten that they were just humans and not immortal gods, were extinguishing the
furious fire alongside two hundred tons of the nuclear fuel lurking in the torn body of the dead power
unit. It could have been thrown out into the environment and scattered around any moment, thus
immensely increasing the scale of the tragedy.
The Earth was one step from a really worldwide disaster, and if it happened, it could heavily strike
dozens of millions of people in the Northern Hemisphere. And our ordinary fire-fighters, simple Prypyat
guys, having subdued the hell-fire, went into eternity. Their names entered the history of the Earth and
will remain in people's memory forever. The technical personnel of the nuclear power plant, which was
that time on duty and immediately rushed to mitigate the disaster, to stop its spreading, deserves the
eternal recognition of the mankind.
After all, this is also our history. And we had to come through it to become people, who don't wish the
recurrence of the past. Who don't wish the recurrence of Chornobyl, either as a global technogenic
catastrophe, or, in social terms - a new revolution. Indeed, Ukraine has suffered from Chornobyl and
gained its independence through much suffering. At present, when looking back at the past, we clearly
see that the accident at the Chornobyl NPP inflicted a wound on Ukraine that cannot be healed and
which are doomed to live with years and years of its long future history. Millions of people have already
suffered from radiation impact, dozens of thousands of them died because of diseases caused by
radiation spread on our land. And one could hardly tell the number of those people, who will still further
pass this way. And what astronomical without any exaggeration damages have been caused to
Ukraine's economy! Over the last 18 years the expenditures for eliminating the effects of the accident
have already exceeded 720 billion UAH at the present-day currency rate, and one third of them are
direct expenses. It makes almost 17 state budgets of Ukraine planned for year 2001. In other words -
the gross industrial product for seven years. This is what Chornobyl means for us! That is why Ukraine
encounters severe problems with its economy advance, and why we constantly lack funds for the
welfare needs of our people.
On the other hand, the Chornobyl disaster promoted the collapse of the Soviet system, putting the end
to the distorted development of our society, to possibility of cataclysms - both technogenic and social.
The latter was possible because of dominating disrespect to the person, - this unique value on the Earth,
strangling his inimitable personality, banning his free spiritual growth, his right of free exchange of
information, use of cultural heritage, and because of suppressing his right to consider the results of his
work his own property. One can observe a clear-cut correlation between the Chornobyl disaster and
spontaneous disintegration of the Soviet empire. The explosion at the fourth unit of the Chornobyl NPP
has become a virtual detonator to the outburst of the empire that crumbled to dust.
On the eve of the 13th anniversary of Ukraine's independence and in the 18th year after the accident at
Chornobyl NPP, we realize clearly, as the realia of the present day, that in our state it has fallen to our
people's lot to eliminate the effects of the Chornobyl disaster mostly on their own, though it is obvious
that other countries have been rendering certain assistance to us. Indeed, we share our great disaster
with Russians, and, especially, with Belarussians whose territory and people suffered greatly from the
Chornobyl accident. But the truth lies in the fact, that the Chornobyl nuclear power plant is sited on our
land, and the elimination of this global source of danger as well as mitigation of disaster's effects has to
be implemented first and foremost with the efforts and abilities of our own people and our state. And
this is exactly what we are doing today. The Government's resolutions point out unambiguously that the
Ukrainian state has passed from the strategy of protection against the effects of the disaster to their
actual mitigation and, where it is possible, their complete elimination.
We know that none of the government will ever be able, despite any material efforts, to erase from the
people's memory the bloody records, marked by Chornobyl, like they do it on a school board with a
single move of a hand. However, it is obvious today that, in spite of all economic problems, a firm
political will to help people, who had suffered from the accident at the Chornoby NPP, is felt in the
Ukrainian state, and much of the work that had been planned and turned out to be feasible, has been
already done. These eighteen years have shown that the Ukrainian state and our people are capable not
only to heel the wounds, but also to solve all problems caused by the disaster, and to create normal
conditions for development of the nation and for entering of the Ukrainian society into the world
community on equitable terms.
We do remember: struggle and you'll overcome, for God helps you.
But we never forget: God helps those who help themselves.
recurrence of the past. Who don't wish the recurrence of Chornobyl, either as a global technogenic
catastrophe, or, in social terms - a new revolution. Indeed, Ukraine has suffered from Chornobyl and
gained its independence through much suffering. At present, when looking back at the past, we clearly
see that the accident at the Chornobyl NPP inflicted a wound on Ukraine that cannot be healed and
which are doomed to live with years and years of its long future history. Millions of people have already
suffered from radiation impact, dozens of thousands of them died because of diseases caused by
radiation spread on our land. And one could hardly tell the number of those people, who will still further
pass this way. And what astronomical without any exaggeration damages have been caused to
Ukraine's economy! Over the last 18 years the expenditures for eliminating the effects of the accident
have already exceeded 720 billion UAH at the present-day currency rate, and one third of them are
direct expenses. It makes almost 17 state budgets of Ukraine planned for year 2001. In other words -
the gross industrial product for seven years. This is what Chornobyl means for us! That is why Ukraine
encounters severe problems with its economy advance, and why we constantly lack funds for the
welfare needs of our people.
On the other hand, the Chornobyl disaster promoted the collapse of the Soviet system, putting the end
to the distorted development of our society, to possibility of cataclysms - both technogenic and social.
The latter was possible because of dominating disrespect to the person, - this unique value on the Earth,
strangling his inimitable personality, banning his free spiritual growth, his right of free exchange of
information, use of cultural heritage, and because of suppressing his right to consider the results of his
work his own property. One can observe a clear-cut correlation between the Chornobyl disaster and
spontaneous disintegration of the Soviet empire. The explosion at the fourth unit of the Chornobyl NPP
has become a virtual detonator to the outburst of the empire that crumbled to dust.
On the eve of the 13th anniversary of Ukraine's independence and in the 18th year after the accident at
Chornobyl NPP, we realize clearly, as the realia of the present day, that in our state it has fallen to our
people's lot to eliminate the effects of the Chornobyl disaster mostly on their own, though it is obvious
that other countries have been rendering certain assistance to us. Indeed, we share our great disaster
with Russians, and, especially, with Belarussians whose territory and people suffered greatly from the
Chornobyl accident. But the truth lies in the fact, that the Chornobyl nuclear power plant is sited on our
land, and the elimination of this global source of danger as well as mitigation of disaster's effects has to
be implemented first and foremost with the efforts and abilities of our own people and our state. And
this is exactly what we are doing today. The Government's resolutions point out unambiguously that the
Ukrainian state has passed from the strategy of protection against the effects of the disaster to their
actual mitigation and, where it is possible, their complete elimination.
We know that none of the government will ever be able, despite any material efforts, to erase from the
people's memory the bloody records, marked by Chornobyl, like they do it on a school board with a
single move of a hand. However, it is obvious today that, in spite of all economic problems, a firm
political will to help people, who had suffered from the accident at the Chornoby NPP, is felt in the
Ukrainian state, and much of the work that had been planned and turned out to be feasible, has been
already done. These eighteen years have shown that the Ukrainian state and our people are capable not
only to heel the wounds, but also to solve all problems caused by the disaster, and to create normal
conditions for development of the nation and for entering of the Ukrainian society into the world
community on equitable terms.
We do remember: struggle and you'll overcome, for God helps you.
But we never forget: God helps those who help themselves.
Since December 2002!
| Embassy of Ukraine in the Republic of Singapore |
| Посольство України в Республіці Сінгапур |