Zelenskyy Signs Decree Creating State Medal for Chernobyl Liquidators

Ahead of the 40th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed Presidential Decree No. 323/2026 establishing a new state award to officially honor Ukrainian citizens who participated in the containment and cleanup of the 1986 nuclear catastrophe. The medal recognizes the sacrifice of an estimated 600,000 liquidators who served between 1986 and 1990, many of whom received significant radiation doses and subsequently developed serious health conditions. The decree mandates production of the medal, accompanying certificates, and official documentation for surviving liquidators and posthumous awards for those who have since died.