Chernobyl: Days That Shocked The World

On 26 April 1986, a massive explosion rocks the Chernobyl nuclear plant, killing workers and blasting radioactive dust into the atmosphere. The 50,000 residents of nearby Pripyat know nothing until officials order a full evacuation 36 hours later.

Soviet authorities blame operator error for Chernobyl, deliberately hiding a reactor design flaw. A vast steel arch seals the wreckage and ruins in 2016, but a Russian drone strike in 2025 threatens fresh radiation releases.