I was born in Kharkiv just over a month before the Chernobyl accident. Never been to Pripyat, but have seen lots of photos and since I grew up in Ukraine I can place it in context. The real tragedy of Chernobyl was not even the accident itself (which was a result of stupidity and zeal IMO), but the multiple attempts at ass covering by those in charge. You see, those in charge did not want to start a panic or look bad. They sent in firefighters without telling them what they were going into. They did not evacuate affected areas quickly enough. They did not alert neighboring regions of the fallout that was coming their way. Innocent people died because they were unable to admit their wrongdoing. This is definitely the USSR way of doing things and the reason it could never survive: it kept sacrificing people for ideals (well that and the fact that Communism is a terrible idea to begin with).