The Chernobyl nuclear power station proves to be a difficult legacy to Ukraine. Safeguarding the damaged unit 4 and decommissioning the other units requires immense financial as well as scientific and technical efforts. The international community was unanimous in finding that the country could not be left alone in coping with these problems. Several countries, the Federal Republic of Germany among them, are contributing extensive financial and technical support. The present status of the work, and the problems encountered, are described by Roland Richter, who spent 7 years working on the Chernobyl site.