VII. The Contemporary Period, 1945–2000 > B. Europe, 1945–2000 > 7. Eastern Europe, 1945–2000 > i. Russia (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and Successor States) > 1. Soviet Union > 1986, Feb. 25–March 6
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  The Encyclopedia of World History.  2001.
 
 
1986, Feb. 25–March 6
 
At the 27th Party Congress, Mikhail Gorbachev stressed the need for radical change. Complaining that the economy had been stagnating since the 1970s, he called for a restructuring (perestroika) of Soviet society. The party adopted his suggestion and called for greater openness (glasnost) in public dealings. Perestroika and glasnost thereafter became words frequently used in Soviet reforms.  1
Boris Yeltsin also caused strong reactions with his speech that decried party privileges and abuses of power.  2
 
April 26
 
The Chernobyl atomic power station exploded. Thirty-two people were killed at once; a fallout cloud drifted westward over Europe; parts of Belorussia and the Ukraine were permanently evacuated. On Oct. 2 the remaining Chernobyl atomic reactor was buried under a security mound of metal and concrete. Four years later, there was still a 30-mile exclusion zone around the site.  3
 
June 27
 
Glavlit, the official censoring agency, was disbanded and its ten thousand workers were reassigned.  4
 
 
 
The Encyclopedia of World History, Sixth edition. Peter N. Stearns, general editor. Copyright © 2001 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Maps by Mary Reilly, copyright © 2001 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

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