40 years after Chernobyl: In Kazakhstan, the forgotten memory of the 'liquidators'
- Posted on April 26, 2026
- By Le Monde
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- 1 min read
In brief
Four decades after the Chernobyl disaster, thousands of Kazakhstani workers who participated in the radioactive cleanup effort remain largely unrecognized as victims. These 'liquidators' faced severe health consequences from radiation exposure, yet struggle for official acknowledgment and support. This paradox deepens as Kazakhstan advances its own nuclear energy initiatives, raising questions about worker protection and historical memory in post-Soviet nations.
Summary auto-generated by AI from the original publisher's content. Editorial standards.
40 years after Chernobyl: In Kazakhstan, the forgotten memory of the 'liquidators'
In the days following the explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant on April 26, 1986, more than 30,000 Kazakhs were sent to the Ukrainian site to help with the cleanup. Those who survived the radiation are finding it increasingly difficult to be acknowledged as victims, even as their country has embarked on a civilian nuclear program.
