This is the front page of The Indian Express published on April 29, 1986.

2 min read Apr 29, 2026 06:40 AM IST First published on: Apr 29, 2026 at 06:40 AM IST

A nuclear accident, claimed to be the first one in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), was reported today at the Chernobyl atomic power plant in Ukraine. Without mentioning the number of people affected and the magnitude of the accident, a Tass report said an inquiry had been ordered into the disaster. The appointment of government commissions in the USSR normally follows major catastrophes, and this has been no exception.…