Liquidators

The breakdown at Chernobyl nuclear power plant in 1986 was a shock for the entire world. The destinies of people who even now suffer from the catastrophe consequences are not so famous as photos of the destroyed reactor. According to different calculations from 600 to 800 thousand people took an active part in breakdown elimination in the Chernobyl exclusion zone. About 4% of them were women. These people are called “liquidators”. The precise number of people is unknown, because of unclear record, and the only register has been made only several years after the breakdown.

Most of the liquidators were young people, who had served in the Soviet army and had been in reserve. People of different professions worked in the exclusion zone – firemen, doctors, chemists, miners, builders, engineers, drivers, cooks and many others. The liquidators were sent to fight with radiation without necessary protective means. For example, they shoveled the debris of the destroyed reactor, because all the special robots which had to do this work failed. The liquidators were called “biorobots” because of conducting such a kind of work.

The works on overcoming Chernobyl NPP breakdown consequences were various. For example, the kilometers of ground were taken down, the houses and transport vehicles were washed, radioactive technical equipment was buried, homeless animals were hunted, the participants of the liquidation works were provided with food.

About 250 thousand of liquidators live in Ukraine now. Many of them have serious health problems due to participation in Chernobyl breakdown elimination and because of the state of health they can't work that is why they live under a poverty line and in social isolation. About one fourth of the liquidators have the status of the Chernobyl with disability.

At the same time, we can fairy call the liquidators –savers of Europe, because without their participation Chernobyl catastrophe could lead to more large-scale consequences. That is why, one of the main aims of Chernobyl History Workshop is to achieve the social recognition of the liquidators. For this, the workshop organizes public events times to the Chernobyl tragedy anniversaries.

Stories of the liquidators:

Andrey

Ivanovich

Sychev

If the shift was over, say, at 3 pm, then sometimes we would return at 7-8 pm, or even later, because the machines could no longer be washed at those special treatment spots. And, of course, given the consent of all, the drivers got to know the way to the belt route. With the consent of the commanders, and us, and, well, we have found a shorter way. We drove into the thirty-kilometer zone [...] and drove out of it between the “red forest” and Pripyat. So, sometimes they moved across Pripyat itself, and sometimes between the “red forest” and this Pripyat, there is a road there, Yanov road. [...] But, what is interesting is that none of us objected! And they were grateful that we at least found such a road ... Well, to get there faster, quicker. And most importantly, I’m saying, well, there was no panic among the people, there was no grumbling, there was no complaint, there wasn’t anything like: “Here, here we are being dumped, we are dying here... ", - similarly as now, we are crying, we consider ourselves victims.

Mikhail

Mikhailovich

Tkachev

Well, you know, there's a dream I had that sticks in my memory. On our way (to Chernobyl) we were dozing off all the time, trying to sleep. I rode across Kyiv at night, I remember the bridge – Paton bridge. Then I fell asleep and woke up when we rode out of the woods and entered Ivankiv district of Kyiv region. And a had a peculiar dream which sticks in my memory ever after... There was a feeling of profound separation, and I am standing on the verge of some precipice, and down there there's a flame blazing. And I'm standing at the edge of the abyss, and a woman in white comes up and takes me by the hand and says: “It's not your time yet – too early”, - and she walks me away.

Lidia

Mikhailovna

Glukhovskaya

Another thing that stuck in my memory of those days – I can't remember exactly whether it was the 26, 27 or 28 of April – was a terrible shower in Kyiv. I was caught in that downpour. And, you know, it was kind of...unusual – the water was kind of different, and the smell was different. I can't explain it, but I remembered this downpour for the rest of my life. There was something vicious about it...well, I don't know...yes, something prophetic...

Nikolay

Valeryevich

Yemelyanov

“We've been working on the reactor! We are all a bit excited at the moment. You must drive us soft and steady! So we don't feel no bumps no hollows. We must travel and relax!”,- they said. But I was used to driving at good speeds at that time, and of course there were bumps and hollows, and the bus jerked a bit as I switched the gears.