What does the place where fatal decisions for humanity were made looks like: Chernobyl control room

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

This April marks the 33rd anniversary of the worst nuclear disaster in human history. In June of the same year, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy declared Chernobyl an official tourist attraction. For tourists visiting the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, the fourth reactor - the one where the explosion occurred - remained closed. Now Chernobyl travel companies arrange excursions for daredevils who want to tickle their nerves. So what's inside? In the room, which is the center of the fateful events of that time …

On April 26, 1986, the fourth nuclear reactor exploded at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. The consequences of this tragedy were simply appalling. The explosion formed a radioactive cloud, which carried the radiation over most of Europe with the wind. It's as if 500 nuclear bombs were dropped on Hiroshima in 1945, not just one. It is impossible to imagine what could have happened next, and what the results would have been if it had not been for the heroism and self-sacrifice of the people who were later named liquidators.

The territories of Belarus, Russia and, of course, Ukraine have suffered the most. The cities of Chernobyl and Pripyat are ghost towns. Abandoned houses and cars, deserted streets, windows of multi-storey buildings gaping with empty eye sockets. All this creates such a gloomy post-apocalyptic picture that it attracts not only researchers and tourists. But it also served as an inspiration to filmmakers.

The American channel HBO together with the British television network Sky filmed a mini-series about the Chernobyl disaster. The film was a huge success. Despite the criticism, the series has a very high view rate. He has won numerous television awards, including 10 prestigious Emmy awards. The film "Chernobyl" also influenced the tourist interest in the exclusion zone. The influx of foreign tourists has increased 5 times. As a result, the Ukrainian government partially opened the territory around the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, and excursions to the Chernobyl control room, previously prohibited, are also allowed. Due to the success of the mini-series, part of the KGB archives related to the disaster was declassified.

Only now are they beginning to reveal facts that have been hidden for decades. The facts that led to the tragedy. According to the official report of the times of the USSR, the personnel of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant were found guilty, including the operator, who pressed the emergency button. The report said that they did not act according to the rules, in violation of instructions. Anatoly Dyatlov, deputy chief engineer of the station, who was in the control room at the time of the accident, claimed that everything was done according to the instructions.

Later Dyatlov was recognized as one of the culprits of the tragedy at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. Despite the grave consequences of radiation, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison in a general regime colony. It was only after almost 20 years that the official version of the incident was recognized as erroneous. According to new data, the actions of the personnel were found to be mostly correct, and for the most part did not particularly affect the development of events. Experts say that the personnel were not notified of the changes in the performance of the reactor the day before, for the purpose of the experiment. Therefore, their actions corresponded to the instructions for the usual regular mode of operation.

After the explosion, also, neither firefighters, nor medical workers, nor residents of Chernobyl and nearby cities were aware of the danger that threatened them. Only 36 hours later, the evacuation of the population began. And then, people were convinced that it was temporary. They took only the necessary things and documents, as well as some food. But, to this day, Chernobyl is still surrounded by a 30-kilometer exclusion zone. And the things and valuables abandoned by the residents of the cities and villages of the Chernobyl zone served as an object of looting for some, to put it mildly, not very scrupulous citizens. Now the control room is under a new protective arch. A giant protective dome has been built over the reactor. According to the German news agency Ruptly, the radiation levels in the control room are 40,000 times higher than normal. Tourists wishing to visit a hazardous facility must wear a special protective suit, helmet and mask. The control room is allowed to be no more than 5 minutes. After that, tourists will need to undergo two radiological tests.

According to the rules of Chernobyl tours, people must pass checkpoints at the beginning, in the middle and at the end of day trips. Tourists are not allowed to wander on their own and leave the excursion group. Other parts of Chernobyl remain closed, including the "machine cemetery" in the village of Rossokha. All the equipment that was used during the liquidation of the accident was thrown there. Exposure to large amounts of radiation can lead to tissue damage and radiation sickness, as well as a huge risk of developing cancer. However, Ukrainian officials consider areas open to tourists to be safe as long as visitors follow established rules. But will it be possible to calm down the ghosts of the past in this way? This question remains open. If you are interested in the topic of the Chernobyl disaster, read another our article about this.