Article

The Chernobyl disaster, which occurred on April 26, 1986, involved a catastrophic meltdown at Reactor 4 of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, releasing extensive radioactive isotopes and leading to the evacuation of approximately 350,000 people. The incident resulted in the hospitalization of 134 servicemen, with 28 fatalities from acute radiation syndrome, and long-term health issues such as increased thyroid cancer. Cleanup efforts included over 600,000 workers, and the New Safe Confinement structure was completed in 2016 to manage remaining radiation, while the abandoned town of Pripyat has seen a resurgence of wildlife in the Exclusion Zone.