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:

Vera

Andreyanovna

Ivanova

I was a Party member. I was brought up and taught by my family and by the society to think of our Motherland first and only then think of myself. And that's what I did: on June, 15th we arrived in the unknown. We had to go, because someone had to feed the people -so we went. There were 6 people like me. We were based in the Chernobyl zone and we fed the builders who were building the concrete factories. My impressions... I haven’t seen the plant itself because there was no time for sightseeing, even if I had wanted to see it – knowing nothing about it. There was no time – the 6 of us had to serve 800 people. It is very difficult, believe me! My only impression was – I want to sleep!. Just lie down and fall asleep – that was the only thing I wanted in life. This is how difficult it was – the load on us was terrible. Sometimes I meet some boys who say“Good afternoon, Vera Andreyanovna!” – “Good afternoon, boys!” – “Do you remember us?” – And I say “Oh, I’m sorry, I don’t”. I remember them all wearing a field service cap. In their clothes – they’re all the same. And you never look at their faces – you work at a run all day.

Nikolay

Viktorovich

Bosyy

By the 5th day of the month, while the active loading of the helicopters was taking place and [the reactor] had not been closed yet, we lived in Lelyov, in tents, in plain tents. So, for the first time, I was able to get the soldiers washed only on the 3rd, on May 3rd. This is since the 29th. Imagine, they have caught so much dust into their clothes and their trench coats, that they themselves were "mini-reactors" and radiated themselves. As soon as the device was raised to the shoulders, to the trench coat, so broke out whistling. It was in such circumstances that they had to [serve] ...

Nikolay

Mikhailovich

Fesenko

The four of us were playing dominoes. I am looking at the player next to me, and his face is changing: now it's yellowish, now it's greenish. Then he jumps up and he starts vomiting badly. Apparently, he received a large dose of irradiation. What should I do? I shout out to my friend: "Vityok, start the engine! We are going to the hospital in Ivankov. Someone goes with a bottle of water, I rip it out of his hands, jump into the car and go ahead. The irradiated person is getting worse and worse ...

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.