Ukraine House in Denmark Hosts Chornobyl Legacy Discussion with Professor Serhii Plokhy

The discussion centred on two of Professor Plokhii’s pivotal works, “Chernobyl: The History of a Nuclear Catastrophe” and “Chernobyl Roulette: War in the Nuclear Disaster Zone”, the latter chronicling the occupation of the Exclusion Zone during Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022. He underscored how the radioactive threat transcends borders: “The radiation didn’t recognize the Iron Curtain, NATO, or borders. It’s still there. This is a challenge to Europe. We all need to be united to protect each other from authoritarian regimes and nuclear weapons. At stake is really the survival of the entire subcontinent.” He warned that we must learn from those failures of solidarity in 1986 to avoid repeating them now.

Highlighting the courage of Ukrainian personnel at both Zaporizhzhia and Chornobyl, Professor Plokhii shared the remarkable story of shift supervisor Valentin Heiko. A veteran liquidator from 1986, Heiko stood his ground under Russian occupation and declared to the occupiers: “I have enough knowledge and I have enough determination. We have nothing to lose—you will never leave the station and you will die here.” “We were lucky to have people in 2022 that were there,” Plokhii added, noting that their technical skills and moral decisions averted a second catastrophe. In a quieter form of defiance, Lyudmila Kozak—one of the few women on site—refused to wear the occupiers’ white armband and instead embroidered a Ukrainian trident on her cap, silently declaring that she will never surrender.

Professor Plokhii also reflected on the broader societal resilience born from Chornobyl 1986: “The spirit of contemporary Ukraine was born. Ukrainians decided to react to Chornobyl in that particular way — not by accepting the lies, but by demanding truth and dignity.” He contrasted this with the conduct of the occupying forces, pointing out that “the Russian military commanders have complete disregard for the life of their own people,” citing chilling examples such as trench-digging in the highly contaminated Red Forest by uninformed conscripts.

Concluding the discussion, Professor Plokhii delivered a stark geopolitical warning and a note of hope: “The dangers that were there in 1986, and again in 2022, are still with us in 2025. The Russian Federation is still very imperial but sooner or later it will go through the process of disintegration. If Ukraine defeats the empire, it will be an encouragement to change Russia—creating a real federation rather than an authoritarian façade.” Such a triumph would not only embolden democratic forces across the region but also restore global confidence that, through transparency and accountability, nuclear energy can finally be made safe for humanity.

Ukraine House in Denmark extends its deepest gratitude to Professor Serhii Plokhii for his profound contribution to preserving historical memory and strengthening public understanding of the ongoing risks posed by nuclear threats by the Russian authoritarian regime.