Despite significant growth within the Soviet nuclear industry in the 1970s, the underlying ethos legislated against an effective safety culture.

In retrospect, it seems to have been almost inevitable that some incident would occur-events at Chernobyl in 1986 merely served to confirm this.

This incident alerted Western nuclear experts, as well as the public worldwide, to the risks taken in the Soviet industry.

While, in practical terms, Soviet and East European nuclear development slowed considerably, it was not until the collapse of communism that the official standpoint on nuclear power changed and Western operators gained the opportunity to co-operate in safety work.

However, the associated political upheaval and economic depression introduce new concerns.

This article examines the changes which have occurred in the civil nuclear industry in the former Soviet Union and in Eastern Europe.