Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, 1986: The Disaster That Rocked The World

The resulting release of radioactive particles led to the contamination of vast swathes of territory in modern-day Ukraine and Belarus, and prompted the Soviet authorities to create what is known as the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone around the crippled nuclear power plant.

Thousands of Soviet military and civilian personnel, who were later dubbed the Chernobyl liquidators, were involved in the effort to deal with the aftermath of the disaster, and thousands of civilians had to be evacuated from the affected area.

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Dosimetrists measure radiation levels.

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A group of liquidators prepares to move onto the roof of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant following the disaster.

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Clean-up workers carrying a sign that says "Restricted Area".

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Treatment of firefighter Victor Starovoyt, who sustained radiation burns while extinguishing the blaze at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant during the disaster.

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View of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant.

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Decontamination of territory in Belarus near the border of the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone.

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Evacuation of civilians from the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone.

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Decontamination in the city of Pripyat in the aftermath of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster.

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Heads of foreign diplomatic missions visit Ukraine to check on the clean-up effort in the wake of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. A paramedic presents a piece of dosimetry equipment.

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Residents of the village of Maryanovka greet evacuees from the vicinity of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant.

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Dosimetrists check radiation levels in the field near the site of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster.

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Dosimetrists measure radiation levels at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant.

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Dmitry Dmitriev, the person in charge of individual dosimetry control in the clean-up effort in the aftermath of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster.

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A group of specialists departs for the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant to help deal with the aftermath of the disaster.

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Kindergarten for children who, together with their parents, were resettled from the Chernobyl area to the town of Kirovo.