During the night attack on Kyiv, the National Museum of Chernobyl, which houses unique exhibits dedicated to the 1986 Chernobyl accident, was damaged. Some of the exhibition halls were damaged, and historical artefacts are currently being evacuated to safe havens.
Basic context
During the night attack by Russian troops on Kyiv, the National Museum of Chernobyl, one of the main memorial spaces dedicated to the 1986 Chernobyl accident and its liquidators, was damaged.
The museum building was damaged, and some of the exhibition halls were severely damaged. This has put at risk unique artefacts documenting the course of the disaster and the fate of the people who worked at the plant during the accident.
Unique exhibits under threat
Among the affected exhibits is a letter to the wife of the liquidator Degtyarenko, which is a personal testimony of a person who took part in the liquidation of the accident. This document conveys the state and experiences of those dramatic days.
The glasses of Leonid Toptunov, one of the key engineers of ChNPP Unit 4, who was on shift on the night of the explosion and was directly involved in the control of the reactor at the time of the disaster, were also damaged.
Protection of historical heritage
The museum's exhibits have not only museum, but also historical and personal value, as they preserve evidence of the work of the plant's personnel and the price paid by the liquidators.
Currently, the evacuation of valuable exhibits to safe storage facilities is underway to protect them from further damage and preserve Ukraine's historical heritage.
Impact on society and memory
The damage to the Chornobyl Museum is not only a loss of cultural heritage, but also a blow to the national memory of the Chornobyl tragedy and the heroism of the liquidators.
Preserving these artefacts is important for future generations to remember the lessons of the past and honour those who saved the country from the consequences of the nuclear disaster.
