In collaboration with The Eastern Flank

DEAR READER,

This week, Ukraine marks 40 years since the disaster at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. This incident has persisted as a notable and lasting element in the political history of Eastern Europe.

In our expert opinion, Karolina Zub-Lewińska reflects on what four decades of fallout (both literal and political) mean in the age of Russian nuclear blackmail. We are also sharing an article she co-authored with Tomasz Róg on our website, examining the long-term impact of Russia's occupation of Chernobyl, which remains as relevant today as when it was first published.

Also, the latest issue, “When human rights end” is out! In it, we ask a question that is becoming harder to ignore: are human rights still shaping European politics, or being quietly sidelined? Become a member of New Eastern Europe to get full access.

Enjoy reading this week’s “brief”!

— Giorgi Beroshvili, Editor

The Eastern Flank covers Eastern European geopolitics, security, populism, and the politics of NATO's eastern shield through a combination of weekly news roundups and analysis pieces showcasing how events of global importance are impacting Europe's East. The newsletter's author, journalist Michał Kranz, casts a broad net, but seeks to go beyond the headlines to offer deep context, provide far-reaching insights, and place events within larger trends affecting the region.

Keep up with Ukraine's drone diplomacy, regional adaptations to Russian gray zone warfare, the role of historical identity in Eastern Europe, and everything in between:

Although 40 years have passed since the disaster at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, it still stirs up intense emotions. Many issues remain unexplained or unsaid. The victims’ trauma has not been addressed, the unsung heroes have not been properly honoured, and the pain of those who lost their lives as a result of the accident still finds no solace. April 26th, 1986 was engraved in the memory of societies not only as the date of one of the greatest industrial disasters in world history; it was also a moment that once again starkly demonstrated the hypocrisy and, at the same time, the inefficiency of the Soviet system, which held the dignity of the individual in contempt. It was the moment when the clock counting down the end of the Soviet Union began to tick faster, and the “Colossus with feet of clay” began to slide ever more rapidly toward collapse, while remaining extremely dangerous at the same time.

For seven decades, fear was the pillar of the Soviet Union’s existence; now it underpins the system of its successor: modern-day Russia. In February 2022, the world was reminded of Chernobyl when the power plant and its surrounding area became a “hostage” in the hands of the world’s largest country, attacking independent Ukraine. When Russian troops took control of the plant in the early stages of the invasion, Western societies held their breath. Reports emerged that Russian shelling of nuclear waste storage facilities could lead to the release of radioactive materials and an environmental disaster threatening European nations. Russia’s nuclear blackmail was initially intended to weaken the willingness of the Western nations to provide aid to the fighting Ukraine; to bring back the terrifying images from years past. Fear was meant to take control of people’s minds, paralyse them, and prevent rational thinking. To stifle the will to act and push independent Ukraine into Russia’s embrace. However, that did not happen. For over four years now, Russia has been dulling its imperial claws, waging war against a much smaller neighbour and showing its ugliest face.

Thanks to the heroic efforts of the power plant staff, a tragedy was averted, and the Western world is beginning to gain a better understanding of Russia’s cynicism and the mechanisms within which it operates. The occupation of the Chernobyl power plant site, which lasted until the end of March, turned out to be a time of looting and devastation of the area. Withdrawing Russian forces also took captive several dozen soldiers of the National Guard of Ukraine responsible for protecting the power plant site. Not all prisoners have returned home yet, where relatives they haven’t seen in over four years await them. Those who have left Russian captivity will forever bear deep wounds on their bodies and in their minds – testaments to the suffering and cruelty. May the harrowing memories of the “Chernobyl prisoners of war” from their time in captivity reach the ears of those who, driven by basic motives, question the necessity to continue supporting Ukraine.

Read more about the long-term impact of Russia's occupation of Chernobyl in the article by Karolina Zub-Lewińska and Tomasz Róg on our website.

— Karolina Zub-Lewińska, Researcher on post-Soviet security