The scene shows a Soviet military helicopter flying over Reactor No. 4 of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.
Beneath it, the wreckage of the exploded structure releases flames and a thick column of black smoke.
Helicopters were among the first means deployed to try to extinguish the fire and drop materials onto the burning reactor.
This image captures one of the most dramatic moments of the nuclear disaster, symbolizing the desperate attempt to contain the emergency.