The Kremlin recruited 5,000 men from Lithuania for the war in Afghanistan (1980–1989), of which 96 returned in zinc coffins, 98 came back disabled, and others suffered a long-term psychological trauma. The disaster of Chernobyl is another page in the tragedy of Lithuanian recruits. While trying to liquidate the consequences of the nuclear accident, 66 soldiers from Lithuania were killed, and 626 were injured or became disabled.