However, this plan only did more harm than good. UC San Francisco's Lydia Zablotska, MD, PhD, grew up in Ukraine, trained as physician . Twitter: @thecheish. Does anybody know what the sources the author of this article could have used? How would I find another job after that?". The level of radiation in the Chernobyl zone is still the same today as it was in 1986.[9]. It is the worst human-induced accident that the Earth has ever seen, to say the least of it. Contents hide. A member of staff at the plant from 1982, he became a witness to the immediate aftermath on the morning of 26 April 1986. [4] His parents once asked about the cause but he only could say they had followed regulations. These were not random people suffering these were heroes. Im not a religious man, but I suppose thats as religious as Ill ever feel. "Its high rankings show that people are still interested in Chernobyl. The Chernobyl nuclear accident is one of the most shocking and devastating catastrophes of modern times. Press J to jump to the feed. I think you mean Aleksandr Akimov at Chernobyl, who was the shift supervisor on the night of the disaster. "If I didn't do it, they could just fire me. Chernobyl (TV Mini Series 2019) Sam Troughton as Alexandr Akimov. Dr. Gale treated patients who had suffered such a high exposure to radiation that even a bone marrow transplant could not save them. This should come as no surprise that the reasons for the explosion are being thoroughly investigated. It's now a museum. ProtectedbyreCAPTCHAandtheGoogle Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Why Alex Murdaugh was spared the death penalty, Why Trudeau is facing calls for a public inquiry, The shocking legacy of the Dutch 'Hunger Winter'. Hours after the explosion, helicopters were flown over Reactor No. He was entirely black, due to skin necrosis, but I never read anywhere that he had no face left, Jesus Christ he mummified, that sounds horrific. Aleksandr Akimov and Leonid Toptunov did their best at saving the situation. "However, the technological aspects have some discrepancies which may not exactly [be] lies, but merely fiction," he adds. 03:30 - Telyatnikov contacted Akimov, asking what was happening to his firemen; Akimov sent him a dosimetrist. I can guarantee that nothing other than necrosis of the skin took place. [3] The operators attempted to perform a rundown test before scheduled routine maintenance, during which reactor 4 exploded. "If I didn't do it, they could just fire me. Can either be found at house parties telling everyone Charles Manson was only 5ft 2" or at home reading true crime magazines. 3, Firefighters pictured in 1986 before cleaning debris from the roof of the No. There was one in particular where the floor sloped down, so it was lower than the entrance to the door, and the idea was that youd go into that room, and they would fill it with water, up to your knees or so, so you couldnt sleep. Viewers dont need to see what remains of shift supervisor Alexander Akimovs face watching the reaction in Dr. Khomyuks eyes is more than enough. Menu. In the weeks immediately after the explosion, 29 power plant workers and firefighters died from ARS, caused by exposure to high doses of ionising radiation, according to Soviet officials. Some of the stories, however, only seem like they were cooked up in a Hollywood screenwriters room. Cheish Merryweather is a true crime fan and an oddities fanatic. "When he was present at the block, it created tension for everyone. Answer (1 of 4): There would have been a hydrogen explosion instead of a steam explosion. The goal was to test the system for preventive maintenance in case of a real power shutdown. After the humans evacuated, wildlife grew rapidly with limited predators to hunt them downwild boar multiplied eightfold in the two years following the disaster. Before he was gone, he told about the test proceedings. I've never seen any reliable source for anything regarding his face. He would try and stand up and walk around, but this resulted in the "skin on his legs falling off like socks". "', 'In Moscow, doctors are trying to save Alexander Akimov's life. Mr Breus says the series creators showed the radiation effects on the human body well. Our first priority is--PEREVOZCHENKO, 30's, bursts in. They are also used for research on diseases including rabies. I feel bad for akimov because he died with the guilt weighing on him that he some how caused the accident and why did it happen, I also feel really bad. "There are many stereotypes shown, typical of Western portrayal of the Soviet Union," argues Oleksiy Breus. [3] However, the reactor stalled unexpectedly during test preparations, dropping to a low 30 MW. A Soviet machine made to cut apples into four pieces!) to hospital beds and zinc-lined coffins. Open Wide, O Earth is remarkable for many other details it captures about Soviet life, as well. 0000017865 00000 n "However, the technological aspects have some discrepancies which may not exactly [be] lies, but merely fiction," he adds. "There are many stereotypes shown, typical of Western portrayal of the Soviet Union," argues Oleksiy Breus. I havent seen this one yet, looking forward to watching! In April 1986, an explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics becomes one of the world's worst man-made catastrophes. Creator Craig Mazin Stars Jessie Buckley Jared Harris Stellan Skarsgrd See production, box office & company info Watch on HBO Max S1 with Prime Video Channels More watch options Some Chernobyl leaders built their defense on their bones. At 9:25 time mark, do you think it might be Khodemchuk? AKIMOV . Mr Breus worked with many of the individuals portrayed and has given his verdict of the series. There are many charities that support facilities which help babies who were born with severe birth defects, including neurological difficulties and heart conditions. I felt it probably the most when we were in the city of Chernobyl [] theres a small building thats basically the cultural center, where they put on shows and songs about the Soviet Union and Lenin, and that is the room where they eventually held a trial that we will talk about in episode five. Not really regarding to Akimov specifically, but in my book Im reading the wife of the firefighter who stayed by his side all the way described lots of horrific side affects from the radiation, and he wasnt even in the same situation as Akimov. And Oleksiy Breus sees their portrayal as "not a fiction, but a blatant lie". "In hospital, I was treated with a guy who biked to that bridge in the morning on 26 April to watch it. Press J to jump to the feed. For example, everything the show depicts about Lyudmilla and Vasily Ignatenko the bribes, the questions about children, the game of cards, the ban on touching all really happened. 0000006239 00000 n "A thin stream the firemen poured probably evaporated before it even reached reactor.". At first, they also tried to reason with me, saying, Youre young. The original footage was probably taken at reactor 4 control room during the time our guys were on crew, that's why many of them can be seen. For example, Mazin says the showrunners deliberately outfitted the divers at the beginning of the episode with authentic Dynamo wind-up flashlights, using the wonderful noise they emit to create the scenes atmosphere. "The reactor looked so damaged, it seemed there was nothing else to do there.". This documentary. In this article, we will tell you about the supervisor of the shift, Aleksandr Akimov, and his role in the accident. PEREVOZCHENKO It exploded. People that are usually blamed for the explosion are the plant employees who worked at the night of the explosion: Aleksandr Akimov, the supervisor of the shift; Leonid Toptunov, the senior reactor control chief engineer; and Anatoly Dyatlov, deputy chief engineer of the power plant. Once more his temperature increases and then he falls into coma. Akimov was the one who declared an emergency after shutting down the reactor - but it was already too late. Toptunov, along with non-essential personnel, was dismissed. He and his crew then stayed and manually pumped the emergency feedwater into the reactor. There is a myth that no life can survive in Chernobyl, which is simply not true. Russians and Ukrainians have watched it via the internet, and it has had a favourable rating on Russian film site Kinopoisk. "Another friend treated at the same time said he had a date with his girlfriend close to the bridge that night. The village of Kopachi lies 7 kilometers (4.3 mi) from the site of the Chernobyl disaster. Alexander Akimov was the head of the night shift that worked at reactor number 4 on the night of the accident. Akimov received fatal, three-dimensional burns to his entire system. In an attempt to contain the disaster, helicopters dumped lead slabs weighing 40 kilograms (88 lb) each on the reactor, followed by several tons of radiation absorbing-sand. "I was surprised they even brought us there," Mr Breus says of arriving at work the morning after the explosion. April 1986, it turns out, wasnt Dyatlovs first nuclear accident. Found an error? . Likewise Toptunov was Lyonya. But no matter how strict he was, he was still a high-level professional.". At 04:00, Moscow ordered feeding of water to the reactor. Its estimated that more than 900 stray dogs live in the Exclusion Zone. Without functioning bone marrow in the body, a patient will usually die within four weeks. [. [. The reason was the reactor's unstable condition due to low electrical network power. %PDF-1.6 % Although he could walk, his parents could see he had strange skin damage. It's now a museum. Yes, it's Kovalenko, standing next to Akimov. During his stay, he discussed possible causes of the accident with Akimov and Dyatlov but they were mystified. Because what it can do is savage. Nevertheless, Mazin says the creators wanted to avoid abusive filmmaking and decided not to show the absolute extremes of radiation sickness. 4s emergency safety systems and its power-regulating system. Don't have high hopes going into this one guys. When we talk about the events that have changed the world, we always remember the Chernobyl nuclear power plant explosion. The actor playing Alexander Akimov, for instance, was never even put in makeup to depict the loss of his face. The miniseries has shed the suspense of its first two installments, when the story unfolded like a disaster movie, and it now wants to know the reason for this tragedy. However, the operation was flawed, as the scale of the disaster was like nothing ever seen before. ", By now Akimov's wife Lyuba was allowed to come to Moscow. Leg burns are a given, as pretty much everyone who worked on coolant supply in the morning had them. Miners were brought in to dig a tunnel under the reactor to create a space for a heat exchanger, to stop the molten core melting through the concrete pad and contaminating the groundwater, threatening millions of lives. 30 33 Related Topics Chernobyl Ukraine Europe Place 33 comments Best Add a Comment ApprehensiveFarmer17 2 yr. ago Akimov had 100% of his skin burnt by radiation. On the night of April 26, 1986, Alexander Akimov was at work as the shift supervisor of the night crew of Chernobyl Plant Unit Four. Its no better now than it was 28 years ago. Two more workers died because of injuries. Tatiana Ignatenko was a collective farm fieldworker, and Ivan Ignatenko a tractor, and later truck . 1156/2008 of 12 December 2008", https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/en/1156/2008/sp:max100, Shift supervisor of Night shift at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. The guy that posted it was a Radiation Specialist and had access to records of a lot of the Chernobyl victims. Many can be found playing inside the abandoned cooling tower at the former power plant. I always wonder why toptinov called him sasha? "A big cup, vodka, KGB everywhere.". Remember this scene? Judge Raimond Brize declared in the courtroom, There was an atmosphere of lack of control and lack of responsibility at the plant. The plant officials were also heavily criticized for not evacuating the town of Pripyat sooner. 0000014730 00000 n Unfortunately, the first five years after the accident, the details were kept secret, but now the scientists and activists have the access to archives. 9:25 is very likely Khodemchuk, and 9:29 is Davletbayev. The one thing, though, that I did feel, walking through the power plant was a little bit of a better sense of how easy it would be to deny. I am still very convinced, that this footage actually shows Boris Stolyarchuk. 0000000756 00000 n International Nuclear Safety Advisory Group, Last edited on 13 February 2023, at 00:49, National Research Nuclear University MEPhI, Obninsk Institute for Nuclear Power Engineering, INSAG-7 The Chernobyl Accident: Updating of INSAG-1, "Presidential Decree No. Akimov was exposed during his work to a lethal dose of 15 Gy of radiation. But I have to ask about his legs. Later this perception changed.". Their skin had a bright red colour. .] Miners were brought in to dig a tunnel under the reactor to create a space for a heat exchanger, to stop the molten core melting through the concrete pad and contaminating the groundwater, threatening millions of lives. The turbine was shut down. Sometimes absence of evidence is compelling evidence of absence. For Russian football coach and player, see, This name uses Eastern Slavic naming customs; the patronymic is. Within two weeks, both Mr Akimov and Mr Toptunov had died in a Moscow hospital of acute radiation syndrome (ARS). Sputnik/RIA Vasily Ignatenko was 25 years old when he died of radiation. Toptunov had literally turned white.". [4], While the initial Soviet investigation put almost all the blame on the operators and management, later findings by the IAEA found that the reactor design and how the operators were informed of safety information was more significant. Photographer Igor Kostin recalled, The clever ones also added a vine leaf for extra comfort.[5]. His father was involved in the Soviet space program and during his childhood, he was surrounded by scientists and engineers.[2]. He stayed behind and had his crew turn on the emergency water pumps to flood the reactor - sadly, the power source was inactive. Aleksandr Fyodorovich Akimov (Russian: ; 6 May 1953 - 11 May 1986) was a Soviet engineer who was the supervisor of the shift that worked at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant Reactor Unit 4 on the night of the Chernobyl disaster, 26 April 1986. Most of the liquidators were military reserves, and the army did not have enough uniforms suitable for working in radioactive conditions. ", Most of the firefighters were pouring water on the damaged reactor, he says. He was the one who refused to continue with the test. Although it has been more than three decades since the Chernobyl disaster, there are many still suffering the consequences today. The precautions were not enough, as, since 1986, physicians have reported a rise in birth defects. DYATLOV (to the room) This is an emergency. Ill say its him until proven otherwise! Vasily Ignatenko, depicted in the series, was among the first firefighters sent to tackle the blaze. On April 26th, 1986, at 1:23 am, Alexander Akimov did what he and thousands of other nuclear plant operators have been trained to do. Aleksandr Fyodorovich Akimov and Leonid Fedorovych Toptunov "In my opinion, [Aleksandr Akimov and Leonid Toptunov] are the most tragic figures from the Chernobyl personnel. He wanted a promotion which was promised to him in case of a successful test. Nah Im good. Firefighters were also asked to help clear radioactive debris from the roof after the fire was extinguished. When the operators pushed the red button, the reactor didn't stop but exploded.". "They took off their clothes, but not like it was shown in the film, not right down to nothing," Mr Breus insists, also pointing out that their role was ultimately not significant to the story. 4 reactor at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine. If you can find a source, Id be interested to know. Originally, robots from West Germany, Japan, and Russia were used to help clean the debris, but they could not operate due to the high levels of radiation. VideoRussian minister laughed at for Ukraine war claims, The children left behind in Cuba's mass exodus, Xi Jinping's power grab - and why it matters, Snow, Fire and Lights: Photos of the Week. They later died in hospital in Moscow.". Biography [ edit] Youll burn together. I followed them around them like a dog I stood by the door for hours, asking and begging. 4 reactor, Oleksiy Ananenko (then and now) with a scene from the TV series showing the three workers wearing respirators, The TV series portrays how 400 miners were involved in digging the tunnel under the damaged reactor, The TV series shows Pripyat residents watching events unfold on what was later nicknamed the "Bridge of Death", The damage caused to the facility by the biggest nuclear disaster in history, Russian minister laughed at for Ukraine war claims. The reactor was already in a run-away state. "My chances are small", he told his colleagues "But if I survive this, one thing is sure: I will never work in a power plant again. Vasily Ignatenko, depicted in the series, was among the first firefighters sent to tackle the blaze. "I've never heard there was a crowd of people who went to watch the fire at night," he says. Nekhaev even had to have his leg amputated. All three men were sentenced to 10 years in a labour camp for their role in the disaster and series creator Craig Mazin maintains that Dyatlov in particular was a "real bully", who later made statements that were not credible. trailer Two weeks have passed since the explosion as Akimov's suffering is ends. Biography Akimov was born in 1953 in the Soviet Union. Another common birth defect in this region is microcephaly, in which a babys head is smaller and not in proportion with the rest of their body. Their faces were only partially covered by respirators, so they could speak to each other, they were not offered a reward, and they were not clapped on their successful return. It seemed a good idea at the time, but it wasnt. On April 26, 1986, an explosion occurred at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in the northern part of Soviet Ukraine, an event which today is widely known as the Chernobyl disaster. [1], Leonid Toptunov was born on 16 August 1960 in Mykolaivka, Buryn Raion, Sumy Oblast. It's not just a local interest, for a small group of people, but it is still worldwide. Its as if the showrunners saw it all happen with their own eyes. "It was clear they felt sick. He began his career at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in September 1979. The city held its annual May Day parades as the government assured citizens everything was normal. Mazin also says he visited Chernobyl as a tourist, to prepare for the miniseries. The authors would never pass up a chance to introduce a brand new scientific discovery to the world! "Radiation exposure, red skin, radiation burns and steam burns were what many people talked about but it was never shown like this. 1953. But while many have complimented the show's attention to detail, he believes it is also one of the downsides of the TV series. In a weird way, it was more moving to me than moving through the actual power plant itself. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. He points to a few inaccuracies in the TV portrayal. his younger brother is donating bone marrow but the transplant can't stop the decay of the tissue. Akimov had 100% of his skin burnt by radiation. They showed us these rooms [], the doors were quite heavy, they were padded on the inside, in case you, I dunno, attempted to smash your head against it. That night was important because the system tests were taking place. 2023 BBC. The School in Sperizh'e pictured in 2016. The communications networks were suddenly flooded with calls and information. There was no mention of the flawed construction. He was portrayed by actor Volodya Stepanenko in the 2004 Zero Hour TV series. It was also difficult to assess how much radiation patients had been exposed to, as the gradual loss of hair and some darkening of the skin were the only visible signs. His burnt lungs hardly let him breathe, his intestines have decomposed, excrements mixed with blood are oozing from his body. Because its so big! And the atmosphere was radioactive.[3]. ", "Possibly, Anatoly Dyatlov became the main anti-hero in the show because that was how he was perceived by the power plant's workers, his subordinates and top-management, in the beginning. However, it is about respecting it for what it can do. 3, Firefighters pictured in 1986 before cleaning debris from the roof of the No. Mr Breus says the series creators showed the radiation effects on the human body well. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. 0000003954 00000 n Chernobyl engineer Oleksiy Breus, then and now, beside the backdrop of the TV portrayal of the disaster, By Viacheslav Shramovych and Hanna Chornous, Mr Breus revisited the reactor's control room 20 years after the disaster struck, Viktor Bryukhanov (left) sits alongside deputy chief engineer Anatoly Dyatlov (orange shirt) and chief engineer Nikolai Fomin during a trial over the accident, British actor Adam Nagaitis played Vasily Ignatenko, one of the first firefighters on the scene of the disaster, The view of the damaged building from the roof of reactor No. Belarus shares a border with Ukraine, and the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant is quite close to said border; in 2010, UNICEF reported that 20 percent of adolescents in Belarus suffer from chronic illnesses or disabilities caused by birth defects. In July 1987, Chernobyls plant director Viktor P. Bryukhanov, chief engineer Nikolai M. Fomin, and deputy Anatoly S. Dyatlov were sentenced to two to ten years at a labor camp. Read about our approach to external linking. There were little slots for food and such, but then there were some grimmer rooms. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. {$[sz HqCUF3W){8HPA|]+\ Y,*6mw1(,>6D>(e]7MRWvfW4j}6`rW/G*(' !S%B=V>npH wp"2N?)JeXiPC`;\BUc |)g}hUtS1' a$)ELOrIB/0vgkmE^)wqHwB4:^ What are you thinking? Alexander Akimov worked with other employers in the reactor after the explosion. .] The story of the reactor's catastrophic explosion, as told in an HBO/Sky miniseries, has received the highest ever score for a TV show on the film website IMDB. The dogs are tagged and their radiation exposure studied. In that moment, standing where Dyatlov, and [Nikolai] Fomin, and [Viktor] Bryukhanov stood it was very chilling. At least one of the survivors ended up with permanently reddened, damaged skin. Aleksandr Akimov was born on 6 May 1953 in . Video, Russian minister laughed at for Ukraine war claims, Chernobyl mini-series review: 'It stops you sleeping', Chernobyl disaster: 'I didn't know the truth', Craig Mazin maintains that Dyatlov in particular was a "real bully", The people who moved to the Chernobyl exclusion zone, US-made cheese can be called 'gruyere' - court, AOC under investigation for Met Gala dress, Saving Private Ryan actor Tom Sizemore dies at 61, The children left behind in Cuba's exodus, Walkie Talkie architect Rafael Violy dies aged 78, Alex Murdaugh's legal troubles are far from over, Mother who killed her five children euthanised. His wife Lyuba is at his side.'. It was supposed to shut down the reactor, but the result turned out to be the exact opposite. Of course, you can criticize the episode for excessive melodrama: Legasov is suddenly partial to Khomyuk, and the miners who stand up to a coal minister recruiting them for the Chernobyl liquidation effort are too theatrical. Akimov heard reports of massive reactor damage, but did not believe it, and as a result relayed false information about the state of the reactor for hours after. There were fears that "lava" from the molten reactor could reach the water, triggering a further, potentially far more powerful explosion. 0000011604 00000 n 1156/2008 of 12 December 2008", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Leonid_Toptunov&oldid=1139033343, This page was last edited on 13 February 2023, at 00:49. Once more his temperature increases and then he falls into coma. The shows creators havent managed to keep track of all the little things (even though their attention to detail is why many people fell in love with the miniseries in the first place): Valery Legasov, the character played by Jared Harris, drinks his vodka from a large glass in small sips, as if it were whiskey, and everyone in the cast keeps addressing each other as comrade in complete seriousness. He points to a few inaccuracies in the TV portrayal. BBC Ukrainian Hours after the world's worst nuclear accident, engineer Oleksiy Breus entered the control room of the No. Their skin had a bright red colour. The missing containment wasn't mentioned either', 'It is the morning of the 10th May. [3][page needed] At some point he gave deathbed confessions stating repeatedly: I did everything correctly. Poor guy. Panting. Aleksandr Akimov was born on 6 May 1953 in Novosibirsk, Russian SFSR (Republic of the Soviet Union . Within two weeks, both Mr Akimov and Mr Toptunov had died in a Moscow hospital of acute radiation syndrome (ARS). Role of Akimov in Chernobyl As we know from the official data, Akimov is wrongfully accused of being responsible for the accident. It was a cruel time.[7]. I will start a new life. Residents started to panic when there was a metallic smell in the air, and the atmosphere appeared different. Pilot Alexander Petrov, who responded to the scene, recalled, It took us more than 24 hours to get things going. During his studies of the reactor documentation, he mentioned to his friend, Sasha Korol, that control rods may, in certain circumstances, accelerate rather than slow the reaction. "They took off their clothes, but not like it was shown in the film, not right down to nothing," Mr Breus insists, also pointing out that their role was ultimately not significant to the story. Very awesome. Someone posted here and I have seen another parts of this footage where Akimov uses something like a microphone [the white microphone like thing they use in the control room, forgive me but i have no clue what it's called]. During his first years at Chernobyl, he held positions of senior turbine management engineer and shift supervisor of the turbine hall. "A thin stream the firemen poured probably evaporated before it even reached reactor.". [2], Akimov worked with his crew in the reactor building after he learned the extent of the accident. He said, A physician deals with life and death every day. Armen Abagian, who was the director of one of the Moscow nuclear power research institutes at the time, advised the Soviet government to evacuate Pripyat immediately. Toptunov only had two months' experience in operating the reactor and this was his first shutdown as operator. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
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