It is with profound sadness that I learned of the death of Dr Alexey Nesterenko; a dear friend, an outstanding scientist, and one of the world’s most courageous and compassionate defenders of the victims of the Chornobyl disaster.  Together, we shared a commitment to ensuring that the forgotten victims of Chornobyl would never be abandoned, and that science would always remain in the service of humanity.

Alexey dedicated his life to ensuring that the truth about Chornobyl was never forgotten, following in the extraordinary footsteps of his father, Professor Vassily Nesterenko, a Liquidator who suffered the consequences of Chornobyl and subsequently set up the the independent BELRAD Institute for Radiation Protection to investigate radioactive contamination and to provide assistance to the affected populations, in particular the children.

Upon his father’s death in 2008, Alexey assumed the role as Director of BELRAD carrying forward his father’s legacy of scientific integrity, moral courage and unwavering service to children and families living with the enduring consequences of radioactive contamination from Chornobyl.

40 years after the accident at Chornobyl, the pioneering work of BELRAD remains relevant and pertinent given the constant threat of Chornobyl. At a time when independent scientific voices are under immense pressure, Alexey’s loss is deeply felt by all who believe that evidence, compassion and humanity must always prevail. Throughout his life, he remained steadfast in defending the right of ordinary people to know the truth about the invisible dangers they continued to face, forty years after the disaster.

Dr Nesterenko’s work brought science directly to the people, pioneering radiation monitoring programmes for children, researching internal contamination in the Chornobyl affected regions, promoting practical methods to reduce radioactive contamination, and ensuring that families living in contaminated regions had knowledge, hope and dignity. His work, which focused on the long-lasting damage to the land and food chain, demonstrated that science, when guided by compassion, has the power to save lives.

I remember with great warmth Alexey’s visit to Ireland in 2011 to mark the 25th Anniversary of the Chornobyl disaster. During his time here, he met the then Former Minister for Foreign Affairs, Eamon Gilmore, and spoke passionately about the continuing humanitarian crisis, reminding us all that Chornobyl had not ended in 1986, but is locked in the land and continues to affect generations born long after the explosion.

His death leaves an immeasurable void. Yet his life’s work endures in the countless children he helped protect, in the scientific truth he defended against enormous odds, and in the legacy of BELRAD, which stands today as a testament to the courage of both father and son.

On behalf of everyone at Chernobyl Children International, I extend my deepest sympathies to Alexey’s wife Olga, to his daughter Darya, to his colleagues at BELRAD, and to all who mourn his loss.

May he Rest in Peace. Покойся с миром.   Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.