There are photos and videos at the link.
http://www.webpark.ru/comments.php?id=22800
21 year from the date of Chernobyl accident
Hot summer in Chernobyl
The author of these ??????? the press photographer of NPA on Ukrainian
??? Igor Kostin. From April till December, 1986 it shined a course of
works on liquidation of consequences of failure on the Chernobyl atomic
power station. I.Kostin's photographic material, ????????? it in
dangerous conditions highly active ??????? loadings, was included into
the official report of the governmental commission of the USSR. Its
series " Tragedy of Chernobyl " is awarded on "Ò«Ó½ñ-?????-photo" in
Amsterdam the maximum international award " the Gold eye " on
"??????????????" in Bagdad-gold medals, to a floor-???? of Grand prix at
competition to GDR and the Main prize of the Union
Recollecting everything, that then happens, I wonder, I would go on all
this, knowing then that I know now. Whether it is necessary to search
for the answer to such questions?
In the end of April, 1986, after explosion on the Chernobyl atomic power
station, I flied in the helicopter to the destroyed fourth block. Those
to whom it was necessary the nobility about this flight, did not know. I
have persuaded familiar pilots to take me aboard.
- You are not afraid?
- No.
Frankly speaking, I not absolutely represented, that us expects, never
thought of that such ???????, an irradiation. The fear has come later.
I take three chambers, necessary quantity of a film, I get into the
helicopter. We fly.
Here and the Chernobyl atomic power station. The high pipe, buildings is
visible... Where the fourth block? Despite of a roar of screws, I feel
death silence below. A voice someone from members of crew: " three
hundred fifty... Two hundred fifty... Hundred fifty... " It is those
???????? about which already start to speak all over the world. However,
why begin? Speak with might and main. Monstrous hearings of the western
press-thousand of victims, communal graves, unpredictable
consequences... Our press keeps mum.
Floor of the helicopter ?????? lead. Windows are battened down. From the
right board-disorder of the fourth reactor. A terrible black mouth. A
voice of the pilot:
After development it has appeared, that the film is lit. Everything is
lit almost, except for a part of color negatives. ?????????? a material
and color slides radiation has processed all up to me.
Getting into the helicopter, I felt the hunter pursuing extraction. Now
I understand, that the victim which watches invisible, inaudible so even
more terrible enemy feels.
On May, 5th already quite officially together with other accredited
journalists again I go to Chernobyl. Everyone remain outside a
30-kilometer zone where have gathered evacuated, the technics, experts
concentrates.
The first impressions are absolutely unusual. Where I saw such? At
cinema? Or at five years' age when war has begun?.. Infinite columns of
motor vehicles. In bodies of lorries of the cow, any belongings, buses
with people. Evacuation.
My questions did not answer. And could not answer. Nobody knew, where
here put on a contentment and who is engaged in press photographers. But
confusion was not. There was no panic, ????????????? though the machine
which has received subsequently the name ½»á-LIQUIDATION of consequences
of failure,-this the machine just started to be untwisted. Nevertheless
it was possible to make so, that everyone executed absolutely precisely
certain problem.
The driver of the lorry, the general, minister, the concreter have been
equally dressed, persons who to us were known communicated with each
other absolutely on equal, and even, too have appeared ????-???????? one
from another - on everyone the respirator has been put on. The standard
respirator similar to a snout and ????????? replaced "petals" - much
more perfect protection-after which on the person any more does not
remain ??????????. In that terrible summer because of heat around of a
mouth and a nose at people were formed almost ????-respirators did not
remove hours.
I removed kilometers in thirteen from the fourth block. Removed both
drivers, and traffic controllers, ready-mix trucks and armored
troop-carriers, certainly, meter men-most at that time known, surrounded
by an aura of a certain secret. They saw and measured that was
imperceptibly and imperceptibly. However, not too imperceptibly. I have
felt, that air here unusual, with any strange metal smack. And all time
??????? in a throat.
Long in a zone I did not remain. It was possible to type "superfluous"
dozes. I came on put-other, then leaved for Kiev, again came back. If
during first time it was necessary to spend the night and eat anywhere
quickly enough all was adjusted. There were friends from management of
car inspection of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Those whom recently
removed on crossroads of city, at boards and in service cabinets. They
both have sheltered me, and have given out to me the same clothes which
carried: the white suits reminding pyjamas, round ???????. My own
clothes by then already on what did not suit. Unless on that having
found-???? to crack dosimetric devices.
I gradually became the in Chernobyl. To me have given a lodging for the
night, have put on a contentment and, that the most important, gave the
necessary information. I much, basically removed process of
deactivation. As special machines watered houses and streets with a
solution reminded by the form soap water. Militarians whom by then in
Chernobyl became much were engaged in it.
And still I understood, that my place not here. The main events occured
there where one behind another huge military helicopters took off,
before refusal loaded by sand, lead, barium, all that on the maximal
speed was delivered there and flied to a black muzzle ?????????????? a
reactor. On a helicopter platform something was created improbable:
engines roared, is continuous ??????? enormous lorries, helicopters
flied up, sat down, again flied up - and so endlessly.
I terribly envied pilots who flied to a reactor, my trade demanded my
presence, stories of eyewitnesses did not console me. But to take in the
machine instead of 80 kgs of necessary sand or lead nobody the necessary
reporter nobody wanted.
Eventually command of the Air Forces has given me the sanction, gene-???
????????, subsequently the Hero of Soviet Union, has told: " All right,
I resolve " a same minute about it have learned on a helicopter
platform. Any documents, any pieces of paper with signatures then in
Chernobyl was not. People have forgotten, that such bureaucracy.
Attitudes with each other were sincere and kind, full of desire to
assist any minute. And one oral order solved the most complicated
problems, much more important, than flight of the correspondent to the
fourth block.
The Chernobyl trouble has revealed the best in us - ability to
compassion, readiness for self-sacrifice, conviction that another's
burning does not happen.
In nine minutes the powerful military helicopter already went a parallel
rate with the helicopter working in a zone of the fourth block which I
made deactivation of area of the block and a roof Chernobyl ???.? that
day has made more than 40 flights above a reactor. I have finished
shooting all stages of liquidation of failure and a burial place of the
fourth block in a sarcophagus.
It was time of hard work. In Chernobyl I removed, carried a film to
Kiev, there processed a material, transferred to Moscow and, to admit,
at all did not realize the efficiency when has seen in "Time" and
"Stern" pictures which has made ????? to continuous race with constantly
leaving time.
Made did not satisfy. How tried to help me both pilots, and their
commanders, they could not transform the helicopter into a set. The
fourth block was necessary to me, and I have decided to make the way
there.
Have passed valiant attacks in places where we felt "star", that
radiation is harmless at home, and here it is the enemy-artful the
enemy. It arose in unexpected places where, apparently, anything
dangerous is not present. And imperceptibly did the business. Data from
the sixth Moscow hospital where firemen laid, and not only they and
where soon it is necessary to lay and me came.
Did not add bravery tightly battened down armored troop-carrier which
has delivered me to the fourth block. And that bunker where the staff
worked, too amused. Has amazed huge quantity of technics and many
people-military and "guerrilla" are unexpected. So named the civilians
who have gathered Chernobyl from all country. It were, as a rule, high
quality experts who knew, than risked, and went on risk. Them connected
in so-called "watch" which last from 2 till 20 minutes. Then the group
came back in the bunker where, before to enter into a premise for rest
or in a room where the staff worked, crossed filled in on ?????????
????? a lobby Water flew everywhere and always. All washed, cleaned and
consequently sparkled cleanliness. Any dirt in direct value of this word
turned around "dirt" which in language of meter men meant the raised
radiating background.
Here shootings were more interesting, though and incomparably it is more
dangerous. The wall of a sarcophagus was erected, trenches were laid,
blockages understood, here there was not so simple, and ???????????? an
operated technics. All this was continuously replaced in the same
violent rate which it was impossible to refuse-radiation drove.
But I was not left again with an idea: this all not that! The Main thing
further away. More precisely ???????-above, there, where the group
surrounded by legends " ??????? cats " works.
To these "cats" I also should make the way.
When there was an explosion, fragments of a reactor, the radioactive
material covered a roof of the next, third reactor literally. Could not
be and speeches about liquidation of consequences of failure not
cleaning this most dangerous "dirt". And in the same place, from a roof
of the third block, the destroyed reactor-place to which slowly and
truly designs of the future sarcophagus came nearer was visible. For the
present low.
In a staff was in on-??????? administrative ???-??? the atomic power
station, the person disposed, whose post was designated with a
unprecedented abbreviation: ??? ???? on ???. It meant: the assistant to
the chief engineer of the Chernobyl atomic power station on liquidation
of consequences of failure. Called this person Jury Samojlenko, now it
the Hero of Socialist Work and then we knew about it that has arrived
from Smolensk where worked on local ???-perhaps, and all. Details of the
last life were somehow insignificant. In submission ??-???????? there
was that group " ??????? cats ", and under documents-groups of meter
men-scouts ????????????? the USSR. In its chapter there was Alec-?????
Jurchenko. I shall name still odes-th a name: Gennady Dmitrov-the head
of service IDK, an individual radiation control. Friendship with these
people, with their comrades, each of which ??????? eternal glory and
gratitude, I am proud and I shall be proud up to the end of a life.
"Cats" have listened to my request to lead me there, whence I could
remove a muzzle of the destroyed reactor. Having listened, have
categorically given up, and so what to object it was impossible. " For
the sake of yours ?????-?????, they-have told,-we are not measured to
receive superfluous dozes "
I again persuaded. Eventually in fact "cats" should do any work on a
roof, start up do, and I shall do by a number the business.
And what means beside? There, where the fragment of graphite lays
imperceptible with a kind and "shines" with the force incomparable to
everything what has already irradiated me for this time?
The basic emission of the fourth block has laid down on a roof of the
third. Therefrom in a muzzle of the blown up reactor it was necessary to
dump pieces of graphite, any fragments of metal, dust which in usual
conditions could be collected in some hours. We have risen on an attic
of the third block. There the special viewing apertures made by experts
of institute of name ????????? have already been punched and protected
by lead glass. The first staff have been finished shooting through them.
But it was all not that! I should rise on a roof, but ??????? this time
have refused categorically.
And again-arrangements, reasons!
Certainly, scouts dissembled. Certainly, all of them needed to rise
there where I so aspired. However, in hands they had the devices warned
of danger, and at me - the chamber carrying away me dragged me to
disorder. And still, I think, they it is more ???????-or about me, than
about dozes received by them. The matter is that as soon as these dozes
reached the certain limit, the person sent on rest which proceeded long
and could be tightened until then, as come back any more would not have
sense. These people could not admit an idea, that the most important in
a zone will be made without them.
But we gathered for a roof, and to think it was necessary not that will
be tomorrow.
A breast to me have put on a lead shirtfront. Then a protective suit. On
a head ???????, on-top which-hood, a closed forehead and shoulders. Have
taken ten pairs gloves. ??????????-"petal" Special boots on lead
linings. Chambers have enclosed in lead boxing.
From an attic have gone on shaky metal ??????? on a roof of the third
block. I have prepared the chamber. Gennady Dmitrov has once again
ordered to not concern anything metal. ??????? stood at an output from
an attic and loudly counted seconds. At account 20 I should rush
headlong back. It it has appeared enough not only to remove that I have
conceived but also to notice, that there is even more interesting plot.
Having stated so expressively, however and briefly everything, that it
thinks of me and my mental faculties, ??????? has given me some more
seconds. But having come back, I have elicited still.
I removed at the disorder of the fourth block. To my eyes that already
never nobody will see appeared.
Radiation has lit almost everything, that I have finished shooting, but
this time I was ready to it and in laboratory all the same have achieved
the image. The person at disorder of a reactor such incontestable
certificate of that a situation under the control, that it is
normalized, the reporter could dream only. I was there and have not made
this picture.
Later some days I ???-?? have gone to Chernobyl, has again made the way
to "cats" on a roof and has removed ???? ??????? in meter from disorder
of the fourth block.
All has changed on an attic of the third block. The roof any more was
not empty. Work Here boiled. General-major Tarakanov ordered. Its
position differed from position of those the soldier to whom it gave the
orders, only one circumstance. Soldiers groups of eight person on a
siren in advance fulfilled maneuver jumped out on a roof, special
equipment sufficed in advance planned for each of them a fragment and
threw it in a muzzle of a reactor-there, whence it has taken off. After
it-this all operation 40 seconds-soldiers left received an official
message of thanks the commander, the monetary premium and dismissal. The
general remained.
The robots specially bought from known western firms, stood with beaten
out electronics and stayed idle. Radiation deduced them out of
operation.
I too have fulfilled ??????????????? change. I have gone the ninth, have
removed everything, that wanted, have received an official message of
thanks the commander, the truth, without the premium and a transfer to
the reserve, and after change general Tarakanov has stated to me the
request of command: to make panoramic shooting a roof, that considerably
would facilitate work the soldier as it would be possible to distribute
tasks more precisely. In pictures there should be all the fragments
which are liable to destruction.
I have again got on a roof. At 20.00 at command on a table the panorama
of the well-known roof already laid.
Today of those events to me remind the pictures, awarded many
international premiums, modest forms ????????-?????? from a staff on
liquidation of consequences of failure moreover memoirs. I see, as
though it was yesterday, persons " ??????? cats ", I hear a roar of
helicopters, I see those who threw the native house, the garden and with
modest belongings in a basket was evacuated for limits
???????????????????? zones... I think: really this all was? And still:
in fact it was all only accident.
--
Atheist n A person to be pitied in that he is
unable to believe things for which there is
no evidence, and who has thus deprived himself of
a convenient means of feeling superior to others.
—Chaz Bufe, The American Heretic’s Dictionary
.
|
