On April 26, 2026, it will be 40 years since the accident at the fourth unit of the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant, which shook the entire world. In the current realities, Chornobyl is once again in the focus of attention, now not only as a symbol of the largest man-made disaster in human history, but also as a territory experiencing war, climate change, and new environmental challenges. More details about what is happening in the exclusion zone now, how military actions have affected the Chornobyl ecosystem, and which threats are the most critical, were shared with a UNN journalist by Denys Vyshnevskyi, head of the scientific department of the Chornobyl Radiation and Ecological Biosphere Reserve.
Details
The disaster that occurred in the night of April 26, 1986, is considered the largest in the entire history of nuclear power. As a result of the explosion of unit 4 at ChNPP, an eruption occurred with a power equivalent to 400 Hiroshimas. In total, over 600 thousand people took part in the liquidation of the accident, and the exact number of victims and affected individuals remains unknown to this day.
After the accident, the territory around the station was isolated, creating a 30-kilometer exclusion zone, and over 90 thousand people were evacuated from the dangerous area – thus Pripyat and dozens of surrounding villages and towns were emptied.
Later, in 2012, a protective shelter was erected over the destroyed reactor, and the zone itself received the status of a biosphere reserve. Despite its tragic history, it has gradually transformed into both a site for scientific research and a popular destination for visitors.
However, Russia brought new challenges to Chornobyl: in 2022, the zone was occupied by Russian military forces. They dug trenches in the most contaminated section of the zone – in the Red Forest, and also captured about two hundred people in captivity, including National Guard servicemen who were guarding the facility at the time. In addition, on February 14, 2025, a Russian strike drone with a high-explosive payload struck the protective shelter at ChNPP, causing significant damages.
Today, the Chornobyl zone is not only a place of historical tragedy, but also a unique natural territory that lives according to its own laws. At the same time, due to the war and climate change, interest is growing in whether the radiation situation in the exclusion zone has changed in recent years. On this matter, Denys Vyshnevskyi explained that the situation must be assessed within the competencies of various services, as Ukraine's control system is multi-level.
"The reserve deals with nature conservation. Radiation control is handled by other structures – this includes DSP and the Institute for Safety Problems of Nuclear Power Plants. I am not authorized to answer this question as a specialist. I can say one thing: the control system is so high-quality that any deviations will not go unnoticed. This is a consequence of the Chornobyl disaster, and Ukraine has developed a very powerful radiation monitoring system," – says Vyshnevskyi.
One of the factors affecting the exclusion zone today is the war. Ukraine's northern territories, including Chornobyl, have experienced both the direct impact of occupation and subsequent border fortification. This could not but affect natural ecosystems, although not all changes are critical.
"Several thousand hectares of forest burned in our area – it was a large fire. There are trenches and other traces of military activity, although they have partially overgrown. The construction of defensive structures also impacts nature, as Polissia is a very forested region. As for animals, we have not recorded a sharp decline in numbers. We use camera traps and visual observations, and we see that populations remain stable," – says the expert.
Among the greatest environmental threats in the zone, experts highlight fires. It is they that pose a real risk, especially considering climate change, which is making the region drier. In addition, the composition of the ecosystems themselves is gradually changing.
"If we consider environmental threats, they are primarily forest fires. The climate is becoming drier, with less precipitation, creating conditions for outbreaks. The second problem is invasive species. Plants that were not here before are beginning to spread actively and alter the ecosystem. The war partially contributes to this – equipment, movement, all of it spreads seeds and spores," – explains the head of the scientific department of the Chornobyl Radiation and Ecological Biosphere Reserve.
Despite widespread fears associated with radiation, Denys Vyshnevskyi explains that even during large-scale fires, risks to major cities remain manageable, and the monitoring system allows for promptly detecting any deviations.
"Even during the 2020 fires, there was no exceedance of the radiation background in Kyiv. There are no dust storms in the exclusion zone – it has long been overgrown. If there is suddenly any danger, it will become known immediately. The control systems are independent, and the information cannot be concealed. Over 25 years, I have not seen a situation that would require any emergency measures for the population," – emphasizes Vyshnevskyi.
In the long term, Chornobyl remains a territory unsuitable for human habitation, says the expert. This will last for millennia, but it has already effectively transformed into a natural reserve and a world-class scientific laboratory.
"The territory is contaminated with radionuclides, and full decontamination will take hundreds, and sometimes thousands, of years. But already now, it is de facto a reserve. Agriculture cannot be conducted here, but biodiversity, ecosystem services can be 'cultivated,' and scientific research carried out. This is a unique laboratory, and it should be perceived precisely that way – as a resource for science and nature," – explained the expert.
Chornobyl today is not only about danger, but also about adaptation. Humanity cannot change the past, but it can learn to live with its consequences. And the exclusion zone becomes an example of how, even after a disaster, nature finds a way to recover.
