This page is about the city of Chernobyl Ukraine. For information on the 1986 nuclear plant disaster, see
Chernobyl disaster Chornobyl area. Taken from the Russian
Mir spacecraft in 1997
Chernobyl or Chornobyl (Ukrainian: Чорнобиль) is a city in northern Ukraine, near the border with Belarus.
It was an important center of trade and commerce, especially in the 19th century. The city is 14.5 kilometers (9 miles) south of the Chornobyl nuclear power plant, which became known for the Chornobyl disaster. The plant exploded on 26 April 1986. Clouds of dangerous radioactive particles were released. The power plant started leaking dangerous radioactive matter. More than 100,000 people were evacuated from the city and other affected areas.