The dreadful consequences of this nuclear accident were sadly made worse as a result of the Soviet system of secrecy. This was a society in which media freedom and individual freedom of expression did not exist. Worse still, the Soviet authorities attempted to conceal the truth of what had happened and to minimise the consequences and the true fallout of the disaster. 

Standing as a symbol of the deadly nature of disinformation, the Chornobyl tragedy has evolved to become a symbol of solidarity and an exemplar of what the international community can achieve when it is united in its efforts to achieve peace and security. 

The 35th anniversary of the Chornobyl tragedy is a reminder of how state sponsored disinformation, as propagated by the totalitarian Soviet regime, led to the greatest man-made disaster in human history. We remember.