The Chernobyl nuclear accident of 1986 had devastating consequences for people living in the vast territories touched by radioactive fallout. Hundreds of thousands of people were evacuated from the city of Pripyat and other surrounding areas, and millions of people still live in areas officially classified as “contaminated” by radiation. Those who were children at the time of the accident suffer elevated rates of thyroid cancer. The three countries most affected by the accident – Belarus, the Russian Federation, and Ukraine – have spent vast sums tending to the needs of local communities. Ukraine, in addition, has assumed the burden of ensuring that the damaged reactor poses no further threat.