Officials of the MIA of Ukraine paid a tribute to liquidators of the Chernobyl disaster aftermath (PHOTO, VIDEO)
On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the Chernobyl tragedy the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine honored the memory of victims of this disaster. The official ceremony was attended by the Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Sergei Yaroviy and heads of the MIA agencies and departments.
Exactly 30 years ago the Ukrainian people suffered a catastrophe that changed the lives of millions of people. Hundreds of thousands of our compatriots had immediately began to fight against the nuclear disaster, among them - 33 thousand of firefighters, staff of internal affairs bodies and personnel of the internal troops of the MIA.
The State did justice to the exploits of liquidators. Three firefighters were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, four more - the title of Hero of Ukraine (posthumously). 750 MIA employees were awarded state decorations of the Soviet Union and Ukraine.
Participants of ceremony honored by a minute of silence the memory of their perished colleagues-liquidators of the Chernobyl disaster aftermath.. Then MIA officials addressed their colleagues and members of families of liquidators, who were present at the event, with words of respect and gratitude to the heroes. After this the solemn flower-laying ceremony took place at the "Walk of Fame dedicated to the liquidators of consequences of the accident at Chernobyl nuclear power plant", located at the territory of MIA.
"Chernobyl is forever with us. Thus, as we go forward we all have to recognize more and more clearly that anti-radiation protection of our planet is day-to-day duty of all States, all peoples of the world. It is especially important now, in our anxious time of international terrorism, monstrous aggressive war of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, the annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol by Russia, bandit actions of separatists in eastern Ukraine" - said Vasily Dourdynets, the head of the Ukrainian “Chernobyl" Association of the MIA bodies and internal troops.
Even today the MIA units are located within the exclusion zone, performing their duties with dignity.
"There is still a lot of important tasks – providing the rule of law in the exclusion zone, strengthening the system of control and checkpoints, border protection" - said Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Sergiy Yaroviy.
During all years that have passed since the tragedy, the MIA never forgot about the problems of those, who happened to be at the center of events. The Ministry together with the Ukrainian "Chernobyl" Association of the MIA bodies and internal troops has permanently provided liquidators with legal and social services, health care and housing.
Also during the ceremony a memorial meeting was held at which the priests of Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Kiev Patriarchate) chanted a requiem service for Chernobyl victims.
Department of communication of MIA-Ukraine
