considerable efforts to eliminate the consequences of the Chernobyl accident. New and thorough inspections and scientific research had revealed that the scope of those consequences had been underestimated at the national level and that their international social, human, economic, ecological and technological aspects had been greater than expected. Vast populated areas of the Byelorussian SSR, the Ukrainian SSR and some western regions of the Russian Soviet Federal Socialist Republic, including some 7 million hectares of arable land and more than 2.5 million hectares of forests, had been contaminated. One fifth of the entire population of the Byelorussian SSR, or 2.2 million people, lived in the contaminated areas. The Byelorussian SSR had lost 20 per cent of its farmlands and nearly 15 per cent of its forests. The loss to the Republic's economy had been estimates at 82 billion roubles, and the Republic's six-year State programme for the elimination of the long-term consequences of the Chernobyl accident had been estimated at 18 billion roubles. I • • . E/1990/SR.S English Page 3 (Mr. Kitchkailo, Observer, Byelorussian SSR) The Governments of the Byelorussian SSR, the Ukrainian SSR and the Russian Soviet Federal Socialist Republic were continuing urgent and large-scale measures to eliminate the cons:equences of the accident. By a decision of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, 26 billilon roubles had been allocated for that purpose for the years I 1990 to 1992. Some qf the measures being undertaken included the resettlement of families and whole cdmmunities to areas free of radionucleides, the decontamination of affected areas anq the prevention of the spread of contamination to contiguous areas. : I In appealing forl international assistance for the first time in their history, the USSR, the Byelor~ssian SSR and the Ukrainian SSR did not simply wish to solve 
**Analysis**
The text primarily focuses on the consequences of the Chernobyl accident, particularly its impact on the environment, economy, and human settlements. It highlights the scale of contamination, economic losses, and measures taken by the governments to mitigate the effects. The text also touches on the international aspect, with the USSR, Byelorussian SSR, and Ukrainian SSR seeking assistance for the first time in their history.

**Category**
Natural resources and environment, Humanitarian aid and relief