The commemoration was overshadowed this year by the heightened threat of nuclear war. The representative of Russia was invited to the event and the war of aggression started by Russia in Ukraine came up in the speeches.
Today marks 77 years since the world’s first atomic bomb was dropped. The bomb dropped by the United States on the city of Hiroshima in Japan killed up to 140,000 people by the end of 1945.
In memory of the victims of the atomic bomb, an annual commemoration has been organized today, which was also attended by the Secretary General of the UN Antonio Guterres. It is only the second time that the UN Secretary General participates in the annual commemoration ceremony. Along with Guterres, thousands of other people gathered in the city’s Peace Park to remember the victims of the atomic bomb.
The commemoration is overshadowed by Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine, which has once again raised the risk of nuclear attacks. President of Russia Vladimir Putin has hinted at the possibility of a nuclear strike since Russia launched a full-scale war of aggression in Ukraine in late February. On the other hand, Putin stated in a press release published by the Kremlin on Monday that there are no winners in a nuclear war, and one must not be unleashed.
Russia’s attack has also raised concerns about the security threat posed by nuclear power plants. Russia has targeted nuclear power plants in Ukraine. It also took over the Chernobyl accident nuclear power plant in the spring and caused destruction in the area.
– Nuclear weapons are absurd. They do not guarantee security, only death and destruction, Guterres said.
Russia came up in the speeches
The city of Hiroshima had not invited the Russian ambassador to the memorial service this year. However, when talking about nuclear weapons, Guterres avoided making direct references to Russia.
– Three quarters of a century later, we have to ask ourselves what we have learned from the mushroom cloud that rose over this city in 1945, he asked.
Mayor of Hiroshima Kazumi Matsui instead was more direct in his statements.
– By attacking Ukraine, the Russian leader uses its citizens as instruments of war, with which he steals the lives and residences of civilians in another country.
Matsui said lessons should have been learned from previous wars.
– The idea that peace depends on nuclear weapons is growing in popularity around the world. However, this fails humanity’s efforts to achieve a peaceful and nuclear-weapon-free world.
– At the beginning of the year, the five nuclear-armed powers published a joint statement, according to which there are no winners in a nuclear war and there should be no such thing. Why are they not fulfilling their promises, why are some even hinting at using nuclear weapons, Matsui asked.
Two bombs left in the history books
At the memorial service, the victims were remembered in a moment of silence by striking the same clock as when the bomb was dropped 77 years earlier. The Prime Minister of Japan also participated in the event Fumio Kishida.
On August 6, 1945, at 8:15 a.m., the American B-29 bomber Enola Gay dropped the atomic bomb known as Little Boy on the city of Hiroshima. Some of the victims died immediately, some later from injuries and illnesses caused by radiation.
Three days later, on August 9, the United States also dropped an atomic bomb on Nagasaki, Japan. Known as Fat Man, the bomb is estimated to have killed at least 74,000 people.