Response to Chernobyl Disaster Wins Praise on 30th Anniversary - UN Chief

Thirty years after a series of explosions at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant spewed deadly radiation across northeastern Europe, the emergency response by the former Soviet republics of Russia, Belarus and Ukraine won a measure of appreciation from UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday.

UNITED NATIONS (Sputnik) — The April 26, 1986 Chernobyl disaster is widely considered the worst nuclear accident at a civilian power plant.

"I particularly commend the governments of Belarus, the Russian Federation and Ukraine for their joint work," Ban said in a statement published on the UN website.

Ban also praised the international community for its support of efforts to mitigate the spread of radiation and subsequent cleanup efforts.

A series of chemical explosions blew the top off the Chernobyl reactor, which had no containment structure. Today the reactor is encased in a thick concrete shell.

An international outcry over a two-day delay before authorities publicly announced the accident is credited in part with inspiring an era of glasnost (openness) initiated by then Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev.