Former Officials to Go on Trial July 7 for Chernobyl Disaster
- Share via
MOSCOW — The trial of those considered responsible for the Chernobyl nuclear power plant disaster will open July 7, a Soviet Foreign Ministry spokesman said today.
Boris Pyadyshev told a news conference that the trial will be open to foreign reporters and will be held in the town of Chernobyl, which lies 12 miles from the plant.
Pyadyshev did not specify who will stand trial nor say what charges they would face, saying only that the former “leadership” of the plant will appear in court.
Western reporters who visited Chernobyl this month said they were told the station’s former director, its former chief engineer and his deputy would be on trial.
The plant’s fourth reactor caught fire and exploded on April 26, 1986, after staff conducted what were later officially condemned as a series of reckless and unauthorized experiments.
The accident killed 31 people, injured many more and forced the evacuation of 135,000 from areas around the plant.
Sign up for Essential California
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
