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Want to see more photos? Check out pictures taken at Pripyat (Припять) or tagged #pripyat or #chernobyl

Chernobyl (Чорнобиль)

At 1:23 AM on 26 April 1986, a catastrophic nuclear accident occurred at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine, which was then under the jurisdiction of the Soviet Union. An explosion and fire released radioactive contamination which spread all the way to Europe. Chernobyl is one of only two nuclear accidents classified as a level 7 on the International Nuclear Event Scale (the other being Fukushima Daiichi in 2011).

Chernobyl and the nearby town of Pripyat remain in the same state today as they were in April, 1986. Bold tourists may visit the still heavily contaminated site, but must stick to an official route. A number of Instagrammers embarked on the trip and shared their photos.