Five years after the Chernobyl disaster, in the summer of 1991, the last summer the Soviet Union was still in existence, I visited Ukraine. I trekked out to the 20-mile exclusion zone - it had been cleared of all people after the accident - together with some local environmental activists.

Anne Applebaum’s quote reflects on her personal experience visiting Ukraine in the summer of 1991, five years after the Chernobyl disaster. The Chernobyl accident, which occurred in 1986, was a catastrophic nuclear event that resulted in the contamination of vast areas, including the 20-mile exclusion zone around the plant. Applebaum recounts visiting this zone, which had been cleared of all people to prevent further exposure to radiation. Her decision to visit this area, alongside local environmental activists, demonstrates her commitment to understanding the long-term environmental consequences of the disaster.

In the context of her broader journalistic and historical work, Applebaum's quote sheds light on her engagement with post-Soviet issues and her interest in the environmental and political legacy of the Soviet Union. The fact that she visited Ukraine in 1991, during the final year of the Soviet Union's existence, also adds historical weight to her account. The Chernobyl disaster is often seen as a symbol of both the failures of Soviet governance and the long-lasting environmental repercussions of nuclear accidents.

Applebaum's choice to trek to the exclusion zone reflects her interest in environmental activism and the consequences of nuclear energy on local populations. By joining local activists, she connects the ongoing struggle for environmental justice with her own work as a journalist, chronicling both the human and ecological costs of such disasters. The Chernobyl disaster remains a defining moment in both environmental history and the geopolitical landscape of the 20th century.

Ultimately, the quote provides a vivid snapshot of a pivotal moment in history—the aftermath of Chernobyl and the end of the Soviet era. Applebaum’s journey to the exclusion zone highlights the intersection of environmental issues, political change, and personal reflection on the lasting effects of one of the worst nuclear disasters in history.