Chernobyl 'Liquidators' Try to Storm Ukrainian Parliament

November 01, 2011 from Euronews

Veterans of the Chernobyl nuclear clean-up operation have been battling police outside Ukraine's parliament in Kiev. Some 1,000 so-called liquidators broke down a metal fence, protesting planned cuts to their social benefits. "Shame" the demonstrators cried outside the chamber, defending their right to the payments for the sacrifices they have made. "I have already had two heart attacks, I came because I don't have anything to buy medicine with. I simply don't have enough," lamented Vasily, one of those taking part in the protest.

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Chernobyl

Chernobyl or Chornobyl is an abandoned city in the restricted Chernobyl Exclusion Zone situated in northern Kiev Oblast, Ukraine near the border with Belarus. The city had been the administrative centre of the Chernobyl Raion since 1932. The city was evacuated in 1986 due to t... Explore this topic

Ukraine

Ukraine (English pronunciation /juːˈkreɪn/; Ukrainian: Україна, Ukrayina, /ukrɑˈjinɑ/) is a country in Eastern Europe. It borders Russia to the east, Belarus to the north, Poland, Slovakia and Hungary to the west, Romania and Moldova to the southwest, and the Black Sea and the... Explore this topic

Chernobyl disaster

The Chernobyl disaster was a catastrophic nuclear accident that occurred on 26 April 1986 at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine, which was under the direct jurisdiction of the central authorities of the Soviet Union. An explosion and fire released large quantities of... Explore this topic

Kiev

Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300, though higher numbers have been cited in the press. Kiev is an important industrial, scientif... Explore this topic

Protest

An act of defiance or objection by an individual or group of people. Protests can take many forms: peaceful or violent, direct or indirect, large or small. Protests in the news are often political in nature, as groups of citizens voice their disagreement or dissatisfaction. Pr... Explore this topic

Verkhovna Rada

The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine often simply Verkhovna Rada is Ukraine's parliament. The Verkhovna Rada is a unicameral parliament composed of 450 deputies, which is presided over by a chairman. It meets in the Verkhovna Rada building in Ukraine's capital Kiev. The Verkhovna Rad... Explore this topic

Nuclear meltdown

Nuclear meltdown is an informal term for a severe nuclear reactor accident that results in core damage from overheating. The term is not officially defined by the International Atomic Energy Agency or by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. However, it has been defined to m... Explore this topic

Nuclear and radiation accidents

A nuclear and radiation accident is defined by the International Atomic Energy Agency as "an event that has led to significant consequences to people, the environment or the facility." Examples include lethal effects to individuals, large radioactivity release to the environme... Explore this topic

Radioactive contamination

Radioactive contamination, also called radiological contamination, is the deposition of, or presence of radioactive substances on surfaces or within solids, liquids or gases, where their presence is unintended or undesirable. Such contamination presents a hazard because of the... Explore this topic

Welfare

Welfare is the provision of a minimal level of well-being and social support for all citizens, sometimes referred to as public aid. In most developed countries, welfare is largely provided by the government, in addition to charities, informal social groups, religious groups, a... Explore this topic

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Chernobyl

Ukraine

Chernobyl disaster

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