Černobil (ukrajinski: Čornobilʹ, Čornobil) je grad u Središnja Ukrajina, a neslavno poznat po nesreći u obližnjoj nuklearnoj elektrani 26. travnja 1986. Razmjeri napora na sanaciji (službeno likvidacija posljedica nesreće) i kasniji inženjerski izazovi poput izgradnje ikoničnog reaktora sarkofag, privukli su zanimanje mnogih znatiželjnih putnika tijekom sljedećih desetljeća. Černobil je posjetio ca. 70.000 turista godišnje prije COVID-19 izbijanje, broj koji se sada smanjio na otprilike četvrtinu. Zračenje od nesreće ostaje oko mjesta, što ozbiljno ograničava pristup i ne ostavlja sumnju da je područje opasno i odlučno ne zabavni park. Posjet tom području jedinstveno je iskustvo i nudi uvid u znanstvene, tehnološke i humanitarne aspekte katastrofe.
Shvati
| “ | - Veliki dozimetar iz sefa, onaj kapaciteta 1.000 röntgena ... - Koji je bio broj? - Nije bilo nijednog. Mjerač je izgorio u sekundi kad je bio uključen. | ” |
—Černobil, HBO serija | ||
Ime Černobil odnosi se na područje oko Nuklearna elektrana u Černobilu (često skraćeno ChNPP) na sjeveru Ukrajina graniči Bjelorusija. Černobil je gradić udaljen 15 km južno od elektrane i bio je najbliže naselje za koje zapadni mediji znaju da postoji 1986. godine kada se dogodila katastrofalna nesreća u jednom od 4 reaktora elektrane. Grad Pripjat, sagrađen za smještaj zaposlenika elektrane, zapravo je tik uz elektranu i samim time mnogo bliži od Černobila, ali je bio zatvoreni grad u to vrijeme i stoga nije poznat na Zapadu. Nesreća je tako postala poznata kao Katastrofa u Černobilu umjesto toga, i ime je zapelo.
Nesreća je kontaminirala radioaktivnim otpadom veliko područje oko elektrane, a ta su područja nakon toga evakuirana. Ovaj Zona otuđenja proširen je nekoliko puta kada je postala jasna veličina nesreće, a na kraju je obuhvatio područje od 2.600 km2, otprilike veličine Luksemburg. Uspostavljeni su posebni postupci kako bi se smanjilo širenje radioaktivnosti, a pristup području bio je ograničen. Postao je poznat kao Zona isključenja u Černobilu. Točne granice zone isključenja nekoliko su puta prilagođavane kako bi se bolje uskladile sa stvarnim razinama radioaktivne kontaminacije, ali područje ostaje približno isto kao i 1986. godine. Bjelorusija nego u Ukrajina. Čak i u Švedskoj (gdje je slučajno padala kiša), meso gljiva i sobova smatralo se nesigurnim zbog padavina.
Kako radioaktivnost s vremenom prirodno propada, razine zračenja padaju u posljednje 32 godine. Primjerice, u gradu Černobilu razina zračenja približno je ista kao u Kijev, a nekada napušteni grad sada je ponovno naseljen. Većina zone isključenja i dalje je pusta, uglavnom šumovito područje s jezerima i rijekama, prošarano napuštenim naseljima i industrijskim postrojenjima. Iako više nije ni približno toliko opasan kao nekada, ostaje nuklearna pustoš što privlači znatiželju kod putnika iz cijelog svijeta. Zona isključivanja predstavljena je u popularnim medijima, ponajviše poput mainstream računalnih igara S.T.A.L.K.E.R i Poziv dužnosti, koji su širili misterije zone isključenja široj javnosti. Černobilska zona isključenja vjerojatno je najbliže bilo kojem mjestu na svijetu svjetovima digitalnih igara viđenih u Ispasti serija, koja objašnjava njegovu popularnost kao turističke atrakcije.
Iako je pristup zoni isključenja i dalje ograničen, obilazak s vodičem su organizirani, od kojih većina uključuje prijevoz iz Kijev do i iz zone isključenja. Posjetilo ga je 72.000 turista u 2018. godini.
Povijest
Nuklearna elektrana u Černobilu
Nuklearna elektrana Černobil izgrađena je između 1972. i 1977. godine na obali rijeke Pripjat, oko 100 km sjeverno od ukrajinske prijestolnice Kijev. Njegovo je mjesto odabrano zbog sigurne udaljenosti od glavnog grada, rijetko naseljenog područja i blizine vode za potrebe hlađenja. Postrojenje ima 4 masivna nuklearna reaktora tipa RBMK, s ukupnom izlaznom snagom od 4 GW - dovoljno za pogon oko 4 milijuna mikrovalnih pećnica. Dizajn postrojenja bio je inovativan u to vrijeme, uključujući generatore hlađene vodikom s integriranim stanicama za elektrolizu kako bi se na mjestu stvorio potreban vodik, kao i napredne računalne sustave. Strojna hala u kojoj su smještene turbine i generatori jedna je od najdužih zgrada u Hrvatskoj Europa duljine 600 m.
Eksperiment, pokus
Osim nuklearnih i elektroničkih inovacija, postrojenje je također implementiralo automatske kontrolne i sigurnosne sustave, koje je trebalo testirati na terenu u živom proizvodnom okruženju, što je bilo uobičajeno za svu sovjetsku tehnologiju u to vrijeme. Posebno je zabrinjavao sigurnosni sustav koji rukuje tzv zamračenje stanice, situacija u kojoj vanjski čimbenici dovode do potpunog gubitka električne energije u elektrani. Reaktori, svaki s toplinskom snagom od 3,2 GW, moraju se aktivno hladiti u takvoj situaciji kako bi se izbjeglo otapanje jezgri, a za to su ugrađene snažne pumpe za pumpanje rashladne vode na jezgre reaktora. Rezervni dizel generatori bili su dostupni za proizvodnju potrebne električne energije za pogon pumpi za vodu, ali zbog njihove velike veličine, trebalo im je više od jedne minute da ubrzaju - minutu tijekom koje bi jezgre ostale neohlađene. To se smatralo neprihvatljivim sigurnosnim rizikom. Inženjeri su smislili pametno rješenje i predložili da iskoriste zaostali zamah masivnih turbina i generatora, koji djeluju kao divovski zamašnjaci, kako bi pumpe radile sve dok rezervni dizel generatori ne proizvedu dovoljno snage da preuzmu odgovornost za hlađenje reaktora. Ideja je djelovala u teoriji, ali nikada nije bila testirana, a reaktor 4 nuklearne elektrane Černobil odabran je da bi eksperiment provjerio teoriju.
Inženjeri su osmislili testni scenarij u kojem bi se izlazna snaga reaktora 4 smanjila na puno nižu razinu, pri kojem bi se zatvorile cijevi za paru između reaktora i njegovih turbina kako bi turbine spustile zamašnjak. Instalirana je mjerna oprema za bilježenje izlazne snage generatora, a posada u kontrolnoj sobi reaktora upoznata je s tehničkim detaljima ispitivanja. Budući da su zatvaranje parnih ventila elektronički sigurnosni sustavi protumačili kao fatalne provale koji su uzrokovali automatsko isključivanje reaktora, odlučeno je onemogućiti te sigurnosne sustave i ručno upravljanje prenijeti na rukovaoce u upravljačkoj sobi. Izračuni su u svakom trenutku pokazali sigurne operacije, test je odobren i zakazan za večer 26. travnja 1986. Dok su Ukrajinci odlazili u krevet, a potrošnja energije padala, test je započeo, a izlazna snaga Reaktora 4 vraćena je prema planu.
Neočekivani neuspjeh u drugoj podstanici drugdje u Ukrajini zahtijevao je da nuklearna elektrana u Černobilu preuzme proizvodnju električne energije, a kontrolori električne mreže zahtijevali su da se reaktor 4 vrati na punu izlaznu snagu. Izvršenje eksperimenta trebalo je odgoditi. Dok su problem riješili i eksperiment se mogao nastaviti, smjene u osoblju kontrolne sobe promijenile su se: dnevna smjena odavno je otišla kući, a večernja smjena se pripremala za odlazak i predavanje nadzora reaktora u noćnu smjenu. Zbog neočekivanog kašnjenja testa, operateri noćne smjene nisu bili upućeni, i umjesto da moraju nadzirati raspadnu toplinu u inače isključenom reaktoru, oni su dobili zadatak izvršiti test umjesto svojih kolega u večernjoj smjeni.
Niz ljudskih pogrešaka relativno neiskusnih rukovatelja noćnim smjenama rezultirao je gotovo realizacijom reaktora, što je opet odgodilo eksperiment. Odlučeno je onemogućiti posljednje preostale automatske sigurnosne sustave kako bi se reaktor što brže vratio u mrežu, a sve upravljačke šipke ručno su uvučene. To je reaktor ostavilo u krajnje nestabilnom stanju što operativnim postupcima nije bilo dopušteno. Kad je eksperiment napokon započeo, zatvaranje parnih ventila izazvalo je pozitivne povratne informacije u izlaznoj snazi reaktora, ali operateri u upravljačkoj sobi alarme su ignorirali. Bez automatiziranih sigurnosnih sustava koji se suprotstavljaju fluktuacijama snage reaktora, izlazna snaga eksponencijalno je porasla na preko 11 puta veću od svoje nazivne maksimalne razine snage.
Reaktor 4 eksplodira
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Ogromna toplina koju je reaktor proizveo u kratkom vremenu uzrokovala je da preostala rashladna voda u jezgri reaktora treperi na paru. Rezultirajući udarni val otpuhao je poklopac s reaktora, a izuzetno vruća jezgra reaktora se zapalila kad je bila izložena vanjskom zraku. Isparljivi radioaktivni materijali i male čestice reaktora odnijele su se u zrak uzdizanjem požara i počele kišiti na velikom području oko reaktora. Komadi jezgre reaktora izbačeni su iz reaktora i sletjeli u njegovu blizinu, uključujući krov susjednog reaktora 3, što je svugdje pokrenulo požar. Krov Reaktora 4 potpuno je uništen, a goruća jezgra reaktora ostala je izložena okolišu i emitirala smrtonosnu razinu zračenja.
Usred noći bilo je teško procijeniti točnu veličinu nesreće. Vatrogasna brigada nuklearne elektrane Černobil i brigade iz Pripjata i Černobila okupljene su u reaktor koji je gorio u pokušaju gašenja požara. Nitko nije očekivao da će reaktor biti oštećen, što je prva nesreća te vrste u povijesti. Bilo je dostupno malo detektora zračenja, a niti jedan nije imao domet dovoljno visok za mjerenje razine zračenja koje emitira goruća jezgra reaktora. Vatrogasci su samo znali da postoji visoka razina zračenja, ali nitko novi koliko su točno bili visoki. Tek kada je situaciju ujutro procijenio helikopter, postalo je jasno što se dogodilo kad su posade helikoptera iz zraka ugledale goruću jezgru reaktora.
Topljenje
Nemajući čime hladiti jezgru reaktora, ona se istopila i pomiješala s betonom, čelikom i drugim dijelovima reaktora, u onome što je poznato kao topljenje. Jako radioaktivna masa, koja je imala konzistenciju nalik lavi, počela se topiti kroz dno reaktora. Neposredna zabrinutost bila je ova radioaktivna lava, koja je danas nazvana "corium", koja dolazi u kontakt s vodom u poplavljenom podrumu zgrade reaktora. U takvom slučaju voda bi trenutno bljesnula u paru, što bi uzrokovalo drugu eksploziju pare koja bi potencijalno mogla poslati još više radioaktivnih materijala u atmosferu. Tim dobrovoljaca okupljen je za samoubilačku misiju, s ciljem da pronađu ventile u podrumu i otvore ih za ispuštanje vode. Uz samo ograničenu zaštitu od zračenja i osnovnu ronilačku opremu, inženjeri su uspjeli pronaći ventile u mraku poplavljenog podruma i uspješno izvršili svoju misiju. Suprotno medijskim izvještajima u to vrijeme, tim se vratio živ, a ubrzo nakon toga korij se rastopio u podrumu kako je predviđeno. Bez ičega što bi zaustavilo protok lave, kontakt s podzemnom vodom bio bi neizbježan. Inženjeri su smislili plan koji nikada prije nije isproban: zamrzavanje zemlje ispod zgrade reaktora. Pozvan je tim rudara ugljena koji je dobio zadatak da tunelira ispod reaktora, postavljajući cijevi za ubrizgavanje tekućeg dušika (na -196 ° C) u zemlju kako bi se smrznuo. Kako se korij širio, međutim, sama raspadajuća toplina više nije bila dovoljna za održavanje tekućine, a većina se skrutnula u podrumu. Struktura je postala poznata kao Slonova noga nakon svog oblika. Toliko je radioaktivan da ga ljudi nikada nisu izravno promatrali; jedine snimljene slike napravljene su iza ugla s ogledalom jer intenzivno zračenje trenutno uništava svu opremu fotoaparata. S obzirom na to da to znači sigurnu smrt, Slonovo stopalo se nazivalo Medusa iz Černobila.
Evakuacija
Kad je postalo očito da gorući reaktor neprestano izbacuje radioaktivne materijale u atmosferu i da se ni na koji način ne može zatvoriti iz okoliša, vlasti su zapovijedile evakuacijom svih gradova, mjesta i sela oko elektrane. Isprva je opseg bio samo 5 km, ali je brzo proširen na 10 km, a zatim 30 km u danima nakon nesreće. Budući da su vjetrovi u početku bili povoljni i usmjeravali najradioaktivnije padavine dalje od naseljenih područja, uvjeti su se brzo pogoršavali nakon 3 dana i prijetili su gradu Pripjat s 50 000 stanovnika samo 3 km sjeverno od elektrane. Naređena je evakuacija velikih razmjera, a u grad su stigli vlakovi i preko 1.000 autobusa koji su koordinirali napore za evakuaciju. U početku se mislilo da će metoda za obuzdavanje radioaktivnosti biti brzo pronađena, a stanovnicima Pripjata rečeno je da će evakuacija trajati samo nekoliko dana. Očekujući da će se brzo vratiti, zaostale su sve osim najdragocjenijih osobnih stvari, a kad je evakuacija postala trajna, Pripjat i svi drugi gradovi i sela na vrijeme su zamrznuti.
Kako bi zaustavila pljačku, vojska je preuzela sigurnost evakuiranih područja koja su bila dio Zona isključenja. Lovački odredi poslani su u gradove kako bi eliminirali zaostale kućne ljubimce, a timovi za čišćenje išli su od vrata do vrata skupljajući ostatke hrane kako bi spriječili izbijanje epidemija i zaraze štetočinama. Većina bivših stanovnika Zone isključenja preseljena je drugdje u Sovjetski Savez, a s gotovo nula ekonomskih prilika unutar Zone, malo se njih ikada vratilo. Zona isključenja i danas ostaje pusta nuklearna pustoš.
Likvidatori
Neposredna okolina onoga što je ostalo od Reaktora 4 postalo je izuzetno radioaktivno. Visoko radioaktivni krhotine, među kojima su dijelovi same jezgre reaktora bili odbačeni stotinama metara od eksplozija pare, a hlapljivi radioaktivni spojevi ispareni jakom vrućinom reaktora koji su gorjeli padali su u širem području. Bageri, bageri, buldožeri i specijalizirana robotska vozila okupljeni su na mjestu kako bi pomogli u čišćenju. Mnoge zadatke ljudi su ipak trebali obaviti, posebno u područjima s najvišom razinom radioaktivnosti gdje su čak i roboti bili onesposobljeni intenzivnim zračenjem. Najozloglašeniji posao koji je trebalo obaviti bilo je čišćenje krova Reaktora 3, zasutog grudama tinjajućeg grafitnog moderatora i komadima nuklearnog goriva. Dobrovoljci iz vojske bili su odjeveni u olovni oklop kao grubu zaštitu od zračenja, a zatim su sprintom prešli preko krova da bi ruševine prebacili preko ruba u zjapeću prazninu gdje je nekad bio reaktor 4. Intenzivno zračenje ograničilo je vrijeme rada na krovu na samo 40 sekundi, nakon čega je započela zračna bolest. Stvarne doze bile su puno veće od izmjerenih, a mnoge od njih Likvidatori - neslužbeno ime dato osoblju zaduženom za likvidaciju posljedica nesreće - neko vrijeme nakon toga zaražene bolesti izazvane zračenjem.
Pokušavajući zaustaviti lančanu reakciju, najbolji piloti helikoptera Sovjetskog Saveza pilotirali su najtežim teretnim helikopterima koji su postojali u to vrijeme iznad gorućeg reaktora. Spustili su pijesak, beton i bornu kiselinu u reaktor kako bi ga isključili, i izlažući se izravno sjaju donjeg reaktora, većina zrakoplovne posade primila je smrtonosne doze zračenja. Jedan od helikoptera udario je u kablove obližnje građevinske dizalice i zabio se u reaktor, usmrtivši posadu. Osim operatora kontrolne sobe reaktora koji su ubijeni u eksplozijama pare, ovo su jedine zabilježene izravne smrti uzrokovane nesrećom - stotine ih se razboljelo u danima i tjednima nakon smjena čišćenja i na kraju umrlo od trovanja zračenjem. Iako nisu svi likvidatori umrli, taj je izraz postao sinonim samoubilačkih misija u pokušaju obuzdavanja radioaktivne kontaminacije. Tragično je to što je godinama otkriveno da je većina tereta koju su ispustile posade helikoptera promašila cilj, zbog čega su se piloti uzalud žrtvovali.
Kako bi se sanirala onečišćenja koja su okruživala uništeni reaktor, područja s najgorim onečišćenjem buldožerima. Drveće je primalo tako visoke doze zračenja da su čitave šume umirale, pocrvenivši. Ove tzv Crvene šume bili buldožeri i drveće zakopano u rovove. Zgrade su sravnjene, a ruševine također zatrpane, najviše radioaktivnih područja betonirano je kako bi se spriječilo izlazak radioaktivnih materijala. Na periferiji Crvene šume, izravno zapadno od gradskog znaka Pripjat, u travi se mogu naći mnogi betonski dijelovi kao nadgrobni spomenici koji zatvaraju njihove opasne pokope. Vozila korištena u likvidacijama, poput kamiona, APC-a, buldožera, helikoptera itd., Sakupljana su na groblju vozila u Buriakivki. Groblje se moglo posjetiti do 2008. godine, kada su ga vlasti smatrale preopasnim. Neka od vozila ostaju smrtonosno radioaktivna čak i od 2019. godine. Neka su vozila u međuvremenu otpadna i reciklirana. Neka su vozila pokopana na brzinu, a dijelovi ih se i dalje mogu vidjeti kako vire iz zemlje. Oprema za osobnu zaštitu koju su koristili likvidatori, uglavnom rukavci i rukavice, bacani su posvuda i ostaju radioaktivna žarišta i danas.
Sarkofag
S ostacima ugašenog reaktora izloženim kiši i vjetru, radioaktivni materijali nastavili su se ispuštati u atmosferu. Sprječavanje daljnjeg ispuštanja onečišćenja bio je prioritet, a do 20. svibnja 1986., samo 20 dana nakon nesreće, inženjeri su dovršili projekt kontejnera za zatvaranje ostataka reaktora iz vanjskog svijeta. Uslijedio je masovni projekt niskogradnje, u nastojanju da se brzo izgradi ono što je ubrzo nazvano Sarkofag. Izgradnja je trajala 206 dana u ekstremnim uvjetima, a graditelji su bili izloženi smrtonosnoj razini zračenja. Preko 400 000 m³ betona i 7 300 tona čelika upotrijebljeno je za izgradnju Sarkofaga, dizajniranog za grobljenje 250 tona ostataka reaktora i radioaktivne prašine. Kad se Sarkofag bližio kraju, njegova je unutrašnjost postala previše radioaktivna za zavarivanje, pa stoga sve praznine nisu mogle biti pravilno zatvorene. Sarkofag je zamišljen da traje najmanje 30 godina, dajući inženjerima dovoljno vremena da smisle trajnije rješenje. Zajedno sa susjednim dimnjakom, Sarkofag je postao najpoznatiji prizor povezan s nesrećom i jedina najslikanija građevina u Ukrajini nakon raspada Sovjetskog Saveza.
Zona otuđenja
Malo je poznato da su ostala 3 operativna reaktora nuklearne elektrane u Černobilu nastavila proizvoditi električnu energiju dugo nakon nesreće, jer ukrajinska vlada nije mogla priuštiti gubitak proizvodnih kapaciteta. Nakon neovisnosti Ukrajine 1991. godine, zemlje koje se graniče s Ukrajinom i Europska unija države članice zabrinule su se zbog stanja 3 operativna nuklearna reaktora i mogućeg nedostatka održavanja koji su dobili nakon povlačenja sovjetskih znanstvenika s tog mjesta. Pojačan je politički pritisak kako bi se isključili reaktori, a Reaktor 3 - ironično onaj pored uništenog Reaktora 4 - posljednji je isključen iz mreže u prosincu 2000. godine, više od 16 godina nakon što se dogodila nesreća. Posljednje preostalo osoblje je evakuirano, a osoblje zone isključenja smanjeno je na posadu kostura koja se sastoji uglavnom od vatrogasaca i zaštitara. S gotovo svim ostalima koji su otišli, 2.300 km2 Zona isključenja postala je uistinu pusta i naziva se Zona otuđenja.
Novi sigurni zatvor
Kada danas posjećuju nuklearnu elektranu u Černobilu, posjetitelji ne mogu vidjeti ni ikonski dimnjak ni Sarkofag, koji je sada zatvoren u divovski luk visok oko 100 m, nazvan Nova sigurna zatvorenost zgrada, koja se često naziva NSC. Njegova izgradnja bila je zajedničkim međunarodnim naporima, završena je krajem 2018. Za razliku od Sarkofaga, NSC je zamišljen kao trajno rješenje s izričitom svrhom pružanja objekata za buduću demontažu postojećih građevina i konačnu sanaciju područja - kad god to bude bilo. Dimnjak je srušen kako bi se stvorio prostor za NSC, a s njim je i nuklearna elektrana Černobil izgubila svoje najpoznatije i najprepoznatljivije točke interesa. NSC je izgrađen 140 m zapadno od Sarkofaga, a preko Sarkofaga je gurnut na tračnice pomoću hidrauličnih klipova. S duljinom od 270 m i širinom od 150 m, NSC je najveća pokretna građevina na kopnu na planeti.
Obilasci s vodičem i dalje se zaustavljaju kod spomenika na oko 200 m od NSC-a, posvećenog radnicima koji su žrtvovali svoje zdravlje u izgradnji Sarkofaga. Za razliku od 1986. godine, razine zračenja oko elektrane danas su vrlo niske (nikada ne prelaze 5 µSv / h), pa su stoga vrlo sigurne za posjet.
NSC uključuje robotske sustave koji pomažu u rastavljanju i razgradnji Sarkofaga i ostataka Reaktora 4, stoga posjetitelji neće vidjeti niti jedan od ovih napora čišćenja. S obzirom na točnu veličinu napora na čišćenju koje još treba utvrditi, sjajni metalni oblik NSC-a obećava da će dominirati krajolikom u godinama koje dolaze.
Trenutni status
Pripjat je zamrznuti okvir sovjetskog života 1980-ih. Na zidovima još uvijek vise propagandne parole, a dječje igračke i ostali predmeti ostaju takvi kakvi su bili. Zgrade trunu, boja se ljušti, a pljačkaši su odnijeli sve što bi moglo biti vrijedno. Drveće i trava sablasno osvajaju zemlju. Zona isključenja pomalo je jezivo turističko odredište. 2002. godine otvorio se za turizam, a 2004. godine bilo je 870 posjetitelja, što se povećalo na 70 000 u 2018., što je za 20 000 više u odnosu na 2017. U nastojanju da izazovu sentiment kod turista, vodiči su nažalost u iskušenju manipulirajući poviješću Pripjata , na primjer ostavljajući iza sebe napola raspadnute medvjediće na određenim mjestima.
Čak i 33 godine nakon nesreće, rasprava o ukupnom broju smrtnih slučajeva još uvijek traje. U strahu od lošeg odnosa s javnošću, SSSR je nekoliko godina zabranio ljekarima da radijaciju navode kao uzrok smrti. Procjene smrtnih slučajeva povezanih s nesrećom kreću se od 56 do 1.000.000! Svjetska zdravstvena organizacija sugerira da bi konačna brojka mogla doseći 4.000 civilnih smrtnih slučajeva, što ne uključuje žrtve među likvidatorima iz sovjetskih vojnih snaga. Brojevi prikazani za posljedičnu smrt od bolesti i raka uzrokovanih izlaganjem radijaciji znatno se razlikuju, a Greenpeace daje procjene više od 200 000. A ruski Publikacija je zaključila da je u razdoblju od 1986. do 2004. godine u svijetu zabilježeno 985 000 prijevremenih smrtnih slučajeva zbog radioaktivne kontaminacije iz Černobila.
Najveće naseljeno naselje u zoni isključenja u 2019. godini je grad Černobil, po kojem je nuklearna elektrana i dobila ime. Tamo živi oko 3.000 ljudi i gotovo svi rade u zoni isključenja na 15 dana, 15 dana izvan rasporeda rotacije. Uključujući turiste i službenike (inspektori UAEA, inženjeri, znanstvenici), broj stanovnika zone isključenja sada varira između 5.000 i 7.000, tako da zasigurno više nećete biti sami prilikom posjeta.
Čitati
- Svetlane Alexievich Glasovi iz Černobila: Usmena povijest nuklearne katastrofe nudi osobni uvid u život stanovnika prije i nakon otapanja. ISBN 0312425848.
- UNSCEAR-ove procjene učinaka zračenja.
Gradovi i gradovi
S izuzetkom samog grada Černobila, svi gradovi i mjesta u zoni isključenja službeno su napušteni. U stvarnosti se to provodi samo u područjima unutar 10 km zone otuđenja oko Reaktora 4, a budući da su razine zračenja prirodno nestale, neka sela na periferiji zone isključenja ponovno naseljavaju naseljenici.
- 1 Černobil (Ukrajinski: Čornobilʹsʹka atomna elektrostanciâ) - jedini naseljeni grad u zoni isključenja, po kojem je Nuklearna elektrana dobila ime.
- 2 Pripjat
(Ukrajinski: Prípâtʹ) - Nekada zatvoreni grad sagrađen za zaposlenike Nuklearne elektrane i potpuno evakuiran u danima nakon nesreće. Poznato u mnogim računalnim igrama i popularno turističko odredište u zoni isključenja. - 3 Buryakivka (Ukrajinski: Burâkívka) - Grad udaljen oko 20 km od nuklearne elektrane i jedno od naselja na izravnom putu oblaka radioaktivnih padavina. Evakuirano je i napušteno. Ostalo je nekoliko zgrada, u različitim stupnjevima propadanja. Razine zračenja variraju između 1 µSv / h na cestama i 3,5 µSv / h u šumovitim područjima od 2019. godine. Tu je i napuštena željeznička stanica 2 km sjeverozapadno od grada.
- 4 Poliske - Grad u blizini Bjelorusija granica, službeno evakuirana, ali i dalje u njoj živi oko 20 ljudi.
- 5 Opachychi
- 6 Vilcha - Napušteni grad sa sigurnosnom kontrolnom točkom za posjetitelje koji ulaze u zonu isključenja iz Bjelorusija.
U zoni isključenja nalazi se nekoliko napuštenih sela koja su izuzetno zanimljiva za gledanje. Posjetitelji mogu vidjeti seoske kuće, male vikendice i obilje vegetacije. Budite oprezni ulazeći u bilo koje od ovih područja, jer vegetacija uvijek nosi daleko veću razinu zaostale radioaktivnosti od betoniranih područja. Vodiči će vam uvijek reći da ne gazite mahovinu, a prašina u isušenim lokvama koncentrira radioaktivnost. Uz to, obratite pažnju na to kamo hodate, jer je većina zgrada oštećena zbog kombinacije zapuštenosti i zbog toga što su ljudi aktivno oštećeni.
Uđi
| “ | Možemo li zapravo - Ne možemo tamo, zar ne? | ” |
-James May, Vrhunska oprema, "Putovanje Ukrajinom" | ||
Za pristup zoni isključenja potrebna je dozvola. Jedan od njih najlakše je dobiti putem turoperatora, kojih ima mnogo sa sjedištem u Kijevu. Ako krenete u obilazak, rezervacija unaprijed je obavezna, ali nekoliko turoperatora dopušta mrežne registracije. Neki turoperatori učinkovito zahtijevaju rezervaciju najmanje tjedan dana unaprijed kako bi izbjegli velike cijene ili nema raspoloživosti, ali neke ture mogu biti dostupne nekoliko dana unaprijed.
Stranci moraju imati putovnicu kako bi ušli u zonu isključenja, zajedno s ispisanom dozvolom. Predočiti putovnicu i dozvolu na 1 sigurnosna kontrolna točka, nakon čega će čuvari skenirati QR kod na dozvoli i provjeriti identitet. Tijekom postupka provjere posjetitelji moraju pričekati ispred svog vozila, stoga se prikladno odjenite prije dolaska na kontrolni punkt. Veće kontrolne točke imaju zaslone s informacijama koji pomažu posjetiteljima, a mogu uključivati i kabine za suvenire koji puštaju pjesme iz serije igara Fallout kako bi potpun doživljaj bio potpun! Izbjegavajte fotografirati sigurnosne kontrolne punktove, časnike ili vojnike, jer to može dovesti do oduzimanja i / ili brisanja fotoaparata.
Vladina agencija koja je nadležna za to područje u Uredbi br. 1157 propisuje da se zahtjev za dozvolu zone mora podnijeti najmanje 10 uredskih dana (što može trajati i do 14 kalendarskih dana) prije planiranog posjeta.
- Chaes-tour.com, 1/36, Bastionnaya str., Kijev, ☏ 380 94 928-15-88. ChAES-turneja omogućit će vam da iz prve ruke znate što se dogodilo u sada zatvorenoj zoni černobilske NE i grada Pripjata, da dodirnete njegove tajne i događaje, da otkrijete što je podmuklo zračenje i naučite kako ga osvojiti. Jednosobne, dvodnevne ili višednevne grupne ture i ture na zahtjev, sve vrste mogu biti tematske. U cijenu je uključeno maksimalno vrijeme u černobilskoj zoni (polazak iz Kijeva u 08:00, povratak u 20: 00-21: 00), opsežni program posjeta Černobilskoj zoni isključenja, autorski nadzor Sergeja Mirnyija, likvidatora i pisac, ili vodiči koje je on posebno obučio, učeći kako preživjeti u povišenom zračenju u pozadini, gledajući dokumentarne filmove o Černobilu, kao i osiguranje, udoban klimatizirani autobus, karte ruta, osobne potvrde koje dokazuju tvoj posjet Černobilu. Od 89 dolara jednodnevnog putovanja do 787 američkih dolara petodnevnog putovanja po osobi.
- Černobiljska turneja, Polupanova str., 1, Černobil, ☏ 380 44 383 4588. M-Ž 10: 00-18: 00. Putovanja se temelje na najnaprednijim saznanjima o Černobilu i zračenju te su jednostavna za upotrebu i ugodna. Oni detaljno pokazuju bogatu povijest Černobila i prirodu zone, te podučavaju vještine preživljavanja od zračenja. Jednosobne, dvodnevne ili višednevne grupne ture i ture na zahtjev, sve vrste mogu biti tematske. Jednodnevno putovanje - 116-160 američkih dolara, dvodnevno putovanje - 265-314 američkih dolara po osobi. U cijenu je uključeno službeno Zona pristupna propusnica, vodič koji govori engleski jezik, prijevoz i odlazak iz Kijeva, prijevoz, karta rute i zona. Mogućnost najma osobnog dozimetra-radiometra.
- ChernobylTrip.com. Ekološke ture do Černobilske zone i Pripjata. Putovat ćete s profesionalnim vodičem koji govori engleski jezik. Obilazak Černobila uključuje prijevoz do i iz černobilske zone, ručak i izlet u Černobil te hostel u slučaju dvodnevnog putovanja.
- Chernobylwel.com. Ove ture pružaju mogućnosti razgledavanja mjesta koja obično ostaju neviđena, uključujući rashladne tornjeve 5 i 6, sastanke s lokalnim stanovništvom i posjet groblju tehničara. Također nude dvodnevna putovanja za 200-250 eura za ture iz Kijeva.
- Gamma putovanja. Organizira vodene izlete u zonu isključenja, bilo kao jednodnevne izlete ili višednevne izlete s organiziranim noćenjem u Černobilu. €89.
- Putovanje lupinom, ☏ 44 19 4270 4525, ✉[email protected]. Tvrtka sa sjedištem u Velikoj Britaniji koja nudi jednosmjerne, dvodnevne i četverodnevne ture po Černobilu, uključujući fakultativni prijevoz do zračne luke i boravke u apartmanima u Kijevu. Za noćenja se potrebe za hranom donose izvan Zona. Cijena pridruživanja grupnom obilasku iznosi od 139 € po osobi.
- [mrtva veza]Pripyat.com. Organizirane ture do isključenja iz Černobila Zona i gradu Pripjatu kojim su upravljali bivši stanovnici. Uključuje formalne ture sa svjedočenjima, pričama i sjećanjima na dane nesreće ljudi koji su živjeli u regiji. Rade vrlo zanimljive, informativne ture i sve se radi legalno.
- SoloEast Travel, ured 105, Proreznaya St., 10, Kijev, ☏ 380 44 279 3505. Jedan od prvih pružatelja turneja u Černobil. Obavezno osiguranje (10 USD) i neobavezni monitor zračenja (10 USD) nisu uključeni u oglašenu cijenu. US $ 79 po osobi.
- Star Sky Travel, ☏ 380 68 364 1424. Izleti u černobilsku zonu za grupe i individualne turiste; prijevoz do zračne luke i željeznice; VIP usluga; podrška za turističku vizu, studentski poziv, poslovni poziv
- Tour2chernobyl.com, Illinska ulica 12, Kijev (Obično se sastaju sa svojim grupama u 09:00 sati na mjestu okupljanja u Kijevu, ulaze u autobus i odlaze za Černobil), ☏ 38 096 785 43 63, besplatni: 1 808 226 10 85, ✉[email protected]. M-Ž 09: 00-18: 00. Dostupne datume za grupne obilaske možete provjeriti na našoj web stranici. Ova turneja uključuje Černobilsku zonu, Grad duhova Prypyat i Radar Duga. Ova turneja je službena, a odobrilo ju je ukrajinsko Ministarstvo zdravlja. Skype: tour2chernobyl.com od 49 američkih dolara po osobi.
- UkrainianWeb. A North America based firm offering all-inclusive, English speaking guided tours to the Zone. Tours include a Kyiv pick-up and drop-off, Zone access pass, transportation and lunch. Friendly service, fast and convenient booking with various payment options.
Safety rules
All visitors are given a list of safety rules, which must be read and signed before entering the Exclusion Zone:
- Do not act as in an amusement park: It is the site of a nuclear disaster and still dangerous, so act reasonably and responsibly.
- Do not take pictures/footage of security measures: Police, guards, checkpoints, CCTV cameras and systems of physical protection are not the right place for cool selfies.
- Do not touch anything and do not sit on the ground: Try to avoid any contact with potentially contaminated surfaces. When you sit on the ground or any place, you significantly increase the risk of contaminating yourself.
- Avoid additional exposure: It is forbidden to wear shorts, t-shirts, skirts or other open types of clothing during a visit.
- Do not take items that originate from the Zone: It is not only very dangerous for your health but also strictly prohibited by the Law.
- Do not eat or drink at open air: You can swallow radioactive dust along with food, and they will remain inside your body.
- Do not consume alcohol and/or drugs: While in the Zone, you must be sober and in adequate condition. No exceptions.
- Do not smoke anywhere except designated places: Smoking often causes fires, and remains add trash.
Zaobiđi se
Public transport facilities in the Exclusion Zone are limited to bus services only. During day time there are regular services between the 1 Central bus station in Chernobyl town and the 2 Administrative building of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant.
Many of the tourist attractions (Duga radar, Buriakivka, Kopachi, ...) are not served by the public transport services, so it is recommended to hire a vehicle with driver to get around.
The distances inside the Exclusion Zone are vast, roads are in a deplorable condition, and there are no sidewalks or bike lanes. Private motorized vehicles are the only realistic alternative to public bus services.
When leaving the Zone of Alienation, the area within 10 km of the exploded reactor, every vehicle will be checked with a radiation detector at a 3 checkpoint. All passengers need to leave the vehicle and must pass through a detection portal to check for any radioactive contamination on hands, body, clothes, or shoes. The detection portals are completely automated: simply step in sideways, placing feet on the bottom detectors and hands on the detection plates on either side of the portal. The barrier will unlock after a few seconds if no contamination is detected.If radioactive contamination is detected on clothes or shoes, they must be taken off and washed off. If contamination can't be removed then these clothes must be left behind. If contamination is detected on your body, you will be asked to take a shower before being rechecked by the radiation detection portal.
 | UPOZORENJE: Radioactive contamination is taken very seriously in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, so expect guards armed with AK-47s at the checkpoint. Do not make photographs or video recordings of the checkpoint or its staff. Likewise, if you are found to have set off the radiation detection portals by trying to smuggle "souvenirs" out of the Zone of Alienation, you will be arrested because it is illegal to bring radioactive materials out of the area without explicit permit. |
| (Information last updated Aug 2020) |
Vidjeti
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- 1 Monument to the Chernobyl Liquidators (Робототехника участвовавшая в ликвидации аварии) (across the street of the fire station). 24/7. A memorial inaugurated for the 10th anniversary of the disaster in 1996, dedicated to the liquidators -- firefighters who risked their lives in an attempt to put out the fire in the burning reactor during the days following the reactors explosion, and while dealing with the removal of its consequences. Many received deadly doses of radiation while trying to get the fire under control, largely unaware of the lethal radiation levels they were exposed to, and with no adequate protection against it whatsoever. The inscription of the monument reads "To Those Who Saved the World". Besplatno.
- 2 New Safe Confinement (NSC). A 100-m-tall arch designed to replace the iconic sarcophagus as confinement structure to keep radioactive materials contained. It can be seen from a distance of kilometres away. You'll not be able to get too close, but the nearest 3 observation point is 200 m away. The only way to get closer is if you are a scientist or a film maker that has had months of preparation in advance. Although radiation levels here will be much higher than elsewhere in the region, you will not be able to pick up a significant dose during your stay.
- 4 Monument to the Constructors of the Sarcophagus. 24/7. A monument dedicated to the thousands of workers who put their lives and health at stake during the construction of the Sarcophagus. Besplatno.
- 5 Bridge of Death. 24/7. Bridge between Pripyat and the Nuclear Power Plant. According to urban legends, on the night of the accident, people gathered on the bridge to watch the blue glow of ionizing air above the burning reactor, without knowing the dose rate was a deadly 500 R/h. The myth was propagated by journalists and stuck, whereas in reality the dose rate was much lower and no direct casualties were recorded among observers. Besplatno.
- 6 Mechanic yard (МТС (машинно-тракторная станция)). 24/7. A mechanic workshop where agricultural vehicles were maintained, refurbished, and scrapped for parts before the accident. During the cleanup it was used for the maintenance of vehicles used by liquidators, and the site has been abandoned ever since. Fertilizer machines, corn harvesters, and numerous other agricultural vehicles are now rusting away in a birch forest that is overgrowing them. There is a pick up truck with a trefoil logo on its door, a great place for a souvenir photo. For those interested, there are numerous radiation hot spots in and around the workshop, which can be found with a Geiger counter. Besplatno.
- 7 Concrete Mixing Plant. 24/7. A roadside concrete mixing plant with 4 hoppers and supporting facilities that transferred and produced the concrete that was used for the construction of the Sarcophagus. Some rubble with white tiles has been dumped on the site after the completion of the construction work, and is noticeable radioactive (~ 5 µSv/h). Besplatno.
- 8 Vehicle Cemetery Buryakivka (Кладовище техніки ПЗРВ "БУРЯКІВКА"). appointment only. After the worst debris and fallout was cleaned up, a large number of highly radioactive vehicles were left scattered around the Exclusion Zone. They were relocated to a patch of concrete in the middle of the forest, near the town of Buryakivka. This vehicle cemetery features hundreds of vehicles including armoured transport vehicles, diggers, tankers, cranes, bulldozers, and the remains of 8 of the largest Soviet transport helicopters. The most interesting "residents" of the vehicle cemetery are 3 robots used on the roof of reactor 3 to clean up radioactive debris. The most iconic one, the West German "Joker", is contaminated with nuclear fuel particles and remains dangerously radioactive. Besplatno.
- 9 The Claw (Гейферний ковш) (behind the Special Engineering Service building). A crane gripper used to remove radioactive debris in the aftermath of the accident. It remains measurably radioactive, and is often cited in popular culture as the most radioactive object in Pripyat Grad. Because of the natural decay of radioactive isotopes, the claw can nowadays be approached safely but should not be touched to avoid contaminating oneself. Besplatno.
Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant
The power plant, home to four decommissioned RBMK-1000 reactors, offers amazing insight into Soviet nuclear and architectural engineering practices for those able to arrange in-depth visits. Commercial tours stop only at the Reactor 4 observation pavilion. Visitors wishing to experience the interior of the plant must request permission via a letter faxed to the plant's general director (Igor Gramotkin) as outlined on the plant's website. The letter should introduce you or your group, and explain in detail what you want to see. Admission, by no means guaranteed, presumably favors professionals employed in relevant fields. Visitors are issued badges and indirectly-read TLD-type dosimeters at the power plant entrance, then pass through a modern security checkpoint in the ABK-1 administrative building, and thereafter are given cotton coats, caps, and booties in preparation for entering the radiological control zone. A higher standard of dosimetry and personal protective equipment may be issued for some areas, such as the "Sarcophagus." Visitors' own dosimetry devices are not allowed inside ChNPP. Always be mindful that this is a fueled nuclear facility and security is taken seriously. Strictly follow directions from plant personnel about photography, and never attempt to rest anything on the floor (it may be confiscated due to contamination). The exit portal monitors at ChNPP are thankfully much less sensitive than those found in most American nuclear plants, but still it's a good idea to wear fresh clothes and shoes rather than articles that may have been contaminated elsewhere in the Zone. In 2011, visitation was allowed to Unit 3 main circulation pump rooms, the live 750-kV switchyard control room, the Unit 1 control room, the Phase 1 dosimetry panel, and the memorial to engineer Valery Khodemchuk in the ventilation building between Reactors 3 and 4, among other places. The turbine hall was closed due to excessive radioactivity in 2011, but was accessible in 2010. A particularly interesting place is the bunker under ABK-1 that is used as an emergency response center (as it was in the 1986 accident).
The power plant has a cafeteria that serves freshly-prepared and appetizing Ukrainian food.
Some commercial tours may stop to feed bread to the monstrous catfish living in the condenser cooling channel that flows under the railroad bridge near ABK-1. Do not take pictures in the direction of the power plant from this location. (Your guide will probably make this rule abundantly clear.)
ChNPP has its own train station, 1 Semikhody. Trains travel without stopping between Semikhody and Slavutych. The service is free. As there are no stops while the train passes through Belarus, there are no border controls. Visitors exiting the Exclusion Zone via Semikhody must pass through a portal monitor and their personal belongings may be frisked for radionuclide contamination.
- 10 Cooling Towers. 24/7. At the time of the accident, 2 more reactors of the same type as no. 4 were under construction to the south east of the existing 4 reactors. Construction was efforts were suspended indefinitely after the accident, and the nearly completed reactors were never fuelled. The structure is being dismantled as of 2019, but its half completed cooling towers remain. The northern tower is about twice as tall as the southern tower and can be seen from a distance. The concrete rebar sticking out from the top rim is a silent witness of the abruptness with which construction was halted. Besplatno.
- 11 Fish hatchery. 24/7. On the shore of the lake near the cooling water intake canal entrance is a fish hatchery with supporting buildings. Fishery was an economically interesting opportunity in the lake because it never froze over due to the elevated temperature of the water being used to cool the 4 operational reactors. This meant fishing was sustainable year round, and the fish caught were larger than elsewhere. The fish hatchery was abandoned after the accident, and one of the few buildings within a 5 km radius around reactor no. 4 that are not related to the power plant itself. The hatchery is not fenced off and can be visited, along with the remains of its floating dock. The shore offers a nice viewing point for the lake. Besplatno.
- 12 Atomskaya Mural. 24/7. The largest mural in the Exclusion Zone, depicting Przewalski horses living in harmony with the power of the atom in the hand of mankind. Besplatno.
- 13 Red Forest. 24/7. A strip of birch and pine forest that was contaminated with the worst fallout, killing off most of the vegetation because of the intense radiation and turning trees reddish brown — hence the name. Trees were felled and buried in trenches by liquidators, then covered over with soil and occasionally concrete slabs.
The Red Forest is still the most radioactive area in the Exclusion Zone, and marked with radiation warning signs but not fenced off in any way. As of 2019, radiation levels vary between 4 µSv/h (microsievert/hour) and 15 µSv/h, with local hot spots reaching 40 µSv/h. Spots where material is buried have considerably higher dose levels. It is recommended to stay no longer than 90 minutes around these hot spots (equivalent to a daily accumulated those of 60 µSv which is the threshold for radiation workers). As the most radioactive outdoor area in Europe, exploring the Red Forest is an experience on its own, but adequate safety measures must be taken. Wear protective wellies, carry an electronic dosimeter (PED) with warning threshold set no higher than 20 µSv/h, and do not touch anything. When leaving the Red Forest, protective wellies must be decontaminated (washed off).
If possible, take a geiger counter or similar radiation measurement device with you into the Red Forest to compare activity levels at different locations. Birch trees and lichen are particularly prone to absorbing radioactive Cesium (accounting to the majority of radiation after 32 years), and often read much higher radiation levels with peaks up to 3,000 counts per second not exceptional. Make sure the probe of the geiger counter does not touch any of the vegetation to avoid contaminating it! Besplatno.
Pripyat
The famous abandoned city, which once housed 50,000 residents. Sights to see are the schools, kindergarten, public buildings and the amazing cultural palace which contains a swimming pool, cinema and gymnasium, and overlooks the famous ferris wheel. Hazards are the crumbling buildings, and decaying wooden floors in places – so be careful. The government has deemed all buildings in the town condemned, so most tours will not let you enter the buildings*.
*As of 2019, entry into all buildings in Pripyat is banned, because as the buildings age they become structurally unstable, and the government and most tour groups would rather not deal with the results of a tour group being caught in a cave-in. Experienced guides in some tours, however, know which buildings are "safe" (stable enough) to enter, and will take groups in for photos. If they do, only go where they go as they know what parts of the buildings are stable and what parts aren't. Generally this is limited to the sports facility (the pool) and the roof of an apartment tower. Most of the buildings were 'cleaned' of their radiation during the liquidation process and now contain amounts similar to downtown Kyiv, so the dangers come not from radiation but from the buildings themselves. Places like the amusement park and the main square are still accessible because they don't involve entering any buildings.
Minibus day-trips from Kyiv typically stop in the town's center, at the west end of Lenin Street near the Palace of Culture. Short-term visitors are confined to the pavement at ground level; if you join one of these tours, your risk exposure is minimal, but so too is your exposure to the vast cultural reliquary that is Pripyat. A more in-depth visit (several days, staying overnight at the InterInform hotel in Chernobyl, eating meals at the InterInform stolovaya) costs about US$200 per person per day in a group of four (2011). The long-term visitor is rewarded with considerably more freedom to explore, accompanied of course by an InterInform guide.
Decades of neglect have resulted in a physically-hazardous ex-urban environment in which radiation is of distant, secondary concern. Hazards include uncovered manholes in the middle of barely-recognizable streets, open elevator shafts, flooded basements, decayed wooden floors, collapsed roofs, large amounts of broken glass, challenging footpath obstructions in dark hallways, and quite possibly asbestos. Flashlights are essential to exploring interiors. Although radiation isn't a relatively major concern, the "hotter" spots in town would most certainly be off-limits to the public in the United States or Western Europe. As an example, the basement of the Polyclinic contains first responders' clothing (firefighters' clothes, boots, helmets, etc.) and presents external gamma exposure rates approaching one roentgen (R) per hour (June 2010). As of October 2017, the only access into the hospital basement is by crawling through a hole dug after the basement access was deliberately buried. Some other hot spots are well known to guides and they can either help you avoid these places or find them if so inclined. The hot spots most commonly visited by tours are mostly marked with radiation signage. These hot spots are generally either places that were not decontaminated previously, contaminated objects, or locations where radioactive materials have collected together due to rain runoff. The most important precaution concerning radioactivity is to avoid ingesting loose contamination. Although your guide might eat snacks or smoke in Pripyat, you should not – particularly if you have been handling things or visiting places like the hospital basement. Buy an ample supply of drinking water at one of the magazines in Chernobyl before going to Pripyat (obviously there is not potable water there). Water can also be used to rinse contaminated shoes before re-entering vehicles.
- 14 Duga Radar. 24/7. Within the 10 km zone is a large former secret radar installation that the Soviet government used to detect missiles, the Duga 3 Radar. From Pripyat, it is easy to see in the distance, if looking from a point of elevation. Besplatno.
Čini
- 1 Test a radiation detector. Although radiation detectors (Geiger counters, etc.) tick at many places in the Exclusion Zone, most of the measured activity is very close to natural background levels or slightly above. There are however notable hot spots, where radiation levels are many hundreds or even thousands of times higher than background radiation. If you've never heard a Geiger counter tick, then these are perfect locations to test them out! If you're brave, a good location is this waste separation facility, with radiation levels of ca. 1 mSv/h close to the ground. The radiation is concentrated in an area of about 10 x 10 m. It's recommended to stay no longer than 5 minutes in the area, which should be more than sufficient to make a video recording of a ticking Geiger counter!
Kupiti
Since all goods, including food and beverages, are imported into the Exclusion Zone from elsewhere in Ukraine, anything you purchase in the Exclusion Zone is more expensive than in the rest of Ukraine. The only shops are convenience and grocery stores, of which there are quite a few in Chernobyl town. They all sell very similar items: water, sodas, spirits, sausages and dried meats, canned foods, frozen foods, and a limited selection of convenience items and dairy products. Fresh fruits and vegetables are hard to find in the Exclusion Zone.
As a general rule, shops in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone only accept cash. There is an 1 ATM at Radianska, but the amount of cash that can be retrieved is limited per transaction.
Food and beverages
- 1 Central bus station, Kirova 2б. Grocery store in the main building of the Central bus station, to the left of the entrance.
- 2 Вечный Зов, Lenin Street. Convenience store next to the fire station. They have a variety of drinks, biscuits, and food. During summer months they also have some ice cream!
Suveniri
With tourism in the Exclusion Zone booming after the 2019 HBO series on the Chernobyl accident, it is no surprise that a variety of nuclear themed souvenirs are available. The most popular ones are t-shirts, mugs, and coins. They can be purchased in most shops and restaurants in Chernobyl town.
- 3 RadioProActive, Чорнобильінтерінформ, Bohdana Khmelnytskoho. A selection of shirts (male and female, various sizes) can be purchased from a vending machine. A share of the revenue is automatically donated to settlers in the Exclusion Zone. To buy mugs with a trefoil logo on it, ask at the bar. They also sell some post cards, but usually no stamps. 500 грн.
- 4 Tamianske, Radianska 74. Copper or gold plated commemorative coins with a trefoil embossed on the face side and the iconic chimney of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant on the back side. 40 грн.
- 5 Community Centre, Rabkorovska. Various nuclear themed t-shirts and other memorabilia.
Jesti
There are no formal restaurants or snack bars in the Exclusion Zone, so normally all food must be brought in from outside the Exclusion Zone. If you're looking for pizza, noodles, or sushi, then your only options are restaurants outside the Exclusion Zone. There are shops selling meats, dried fish, and canned vegetables as alternative to restaurants within the Exclusion Zone.
- 1 Desjatka, Bohdana Khmelnytskoho. Canteen for maintenance crews working in the Exclusion Zone, and occasionally also for tourists. Some guided tours stop here for lunch. When staying overnight in Chernobyl, the canteen is your only option for a warm meal.
Berries and fruits found in the forests within the Exclusion Zone all likely absorbed radioactive materials from the soil and are radioactive in varying degrees. Do not eat anything found in the Exclusion Zone. Mushrooms in particular tend to have a strong affinity towards radioactive substances and tend to accumulate respectable activity levels.
It is prohibited to consume food in open air within a 10-km range around the power plant.
It is recommended by tour agencies to only consume food and drink while on the buses/cars/vans and not while out on tour, to avoid exposing the consumables to potentially radioactive dust particles in the air.
Piće
All surface water in the Exclusion Zone is unsafe for drinking or washing because of radioactive contamination of the aquifer, so assume that all lakes and rivers are polluted with radionuclides. Stick to bottled water, which in Ukraine is predominantly sparkling.
Spirits, most commonly vodka and derived alcoholic drinks, are abundantly available in every grocery store in Chernobyl and relatively cheap.
A special Chernobyl beer is sold in select venues in Chernobyl. The beer is humorously said to improve communication between like-minded people, and helps to 'decontaminate' organisms in the Zone of Alienation. The bottles are easily recognizable by the green labels with a picture of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant after the accident printed on them.
Spavati
- 1 ChornobylInterinform Agency Hotel, Bohdan Khmelnytsky Blvd 1A (at the former intersection of Khmelnytsky Blvd and Polupanova Street). Prijava: (by arrangement), provjeri: (by arrangement). ~US$40 (double occupancy), July 2011.
Visitors have one (legal) option for spending the night in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, and it is the government-run hotel in central Chernobyl. Any of the tour companies mentioned elsewhere on this page can, in principle, make bookings for visitors at the hotel as part of the process of registering the tour with the InterInform Agency. Rules are constantly in flux; if you want to stay overnight in Chernobyl, ask your tour operator about it and make sure to plan early.
If you are accustomed to lodging standards in Kyiv, you will find the InterInform Agency hotel surprisingly affordable for the level of comfort provided. The buildings are prefabricated structures installed after the 1986 accident. Many rooms are actually suites, some larger than others. Some rooms have useful amenities like refrigerators, dining tables, sofas, or dishes—luck of the draw. Each room has its own bathroom and shower. Tap water is potable. No WiFi (2011). The buildings are not air-conditioned, but (hopefully!) the windows will be unlocked and screened in the summer. The main Interinform office building has the largest suites, while the annex to the east contains more rooms and even a chapel on the first floor with faux-stained-glass windows. Radiation levels at the InterInform Hotel are close to Kyiv background.
Hotel guests are not permitted to leave the premises without an authorized guide! This includes innocuously walking 500 m down the street to buy drinks, snacks or batteries at one of the magazins. If the very-abundant police catch you out on the town without your guide, you can expect a pleasant little march over to the police station near the Lenin statue and old Dom Kulturi, where they have an open-air gazebo set up with folks like you in mind. There you'll wait in contrition until your guide retrieves you.
The InterInform Agency canteen on the ground floor of the west building offers prix fixe dining by reservation only. Reservations made when the tour is booked with InterInform are about US$10 for lunch or dinner, but if meals must be arranged on the day of service, higher prices are charged. The canteen serves three meals a day at fixed times. Dinner is a multi-course, freshly-prepared, traditional Ukrainian set meal with very large portions and typically paired with a traditional beverage like kompot; even after a day of strenuous exploration in Pripyat, it may be hard to eat all the food they bring you, at the pace they bring it. Chances are nobody will check you for contamination or remind you to wash up before eating, but that would be a very good idea to do on your own.
- 2 Hotel 10, Kirova St. Refurbished Soviet-era barracks used as basic accommodation for longer stays in the Exclusion Zone. Up to 5 consecutive nights are allowed. The rooms have shared bathrooms with shower and toilet. There is a kitchen on the ground floor but no restaurant -- meals must be procured elsewhere. Probably the cheapest accommodation in the Chernobyl town. 200 грн.
Backcountry camping
As radiation levels in most of the Exclusion Zone continue to drop, backcountry camping is gaining more popularity as an alternative to spending the night in one of the designated hotels in Chernobyl town. Exploring the Exclusion Zone on foot and spending the night outdoors is probably the closest you'll ever get to a Fallout game experience. Spending the night in a tent in the world's most famous nuclear wasteland is a unique opportunity, but not for the faint of heart! It is strictly prohibited to make a camp fire due to the risk of forest fires, so electric torches are the only way to fend off wild animals—wolves and bears roam around at night. Rather than setting up your tent outside, it is recommended to set it up indoors instead, in one of the may abandoned warehouses or barns dotting the Exclusion Zone.
When traversing the Exclusion Zone off-road, make sure to bring an up-to-date radiation map, a compass, and/or rent a mobile satellite navigation system. Bring a radiation detector to verify radiation levels where you want to set up your camp, keep in mind that you'll be spending at least 6 to 8 hours here, so absorbed doses can accumulate fast. Aim for a dose rate of 10 µSv/h or lower where you set up camp. Setting up camp in or close to the Red Forest (the area with the highest radioactivity levels) is a bad idea, spending the night there may cause radiation sickness.
Ostati siguran
Urban exploration
- Vidi također: Urbex
If in Pripyat, exercise caution when entering buildings—the ground around entrances to, and inside buildings will generally be littered with broken glass, concrete and debris. Be sure to take care inside buildings as the flooring can be somewhat uneven (and sometimes unstable), handrails are missing, and elevator doors be left open with no elevator present. Watch your footing—a decent pair of shoes or boots would be a good idea. Tours are no longer allowed to enter the buildings due to an accident occurring involving a floor collapsing injuring several tourists. All visitors sign written acknowledgements of the Exclusion Zone rules, including the rules prohibiting structural access. However, it remains routine (2017) for in-depth custom tours to enter Pripyat structures and forested areas at the discretion of the guide.
Although some of the switch gear and power line infrastructure has been decommissioned after the shutdown of the 3 last reactors in the late 1990s, electrical power is supplied to the nuclear power plant site, Chernobyl, and many air quality monitoring stations from outside the Exclusion Zone. Do not touch electrical cables or other electrical infrastructure, even if they're laying on the ground, as many of these still carry live voltages.
Divljač
Withdrawal of almost all human activity from the Exclusion Zone allowed nature to retake the area. Boars and bears are common as evidenced by hoof and paw prints in mud, and might attack when they feel cornered and/or threatened. Bears particularly enjoy the shelter of abandoned buildings, so make sure to make lots of noise when approaching buildings and never obstruct the path to/from a door to provide an easy escape route for animals that feel trapped.
Packs of wolves also roam through the Exclusion Zone, have grown in numbers, and are not afraid to venture into human occupied territories like the Chernobyl town. Inhabited properties are often fenced off with tall walls to keep wolves out, and it is common for doors to be locked at night. If you decide to bring smaller dogs or other pets into the Exclusion Zone, do not leave them outside at night!
Fotografija
Rising political tensions with neighbours Belarus i Rusija have increased security around the nuclear power plant, with armed guards at security checkpoints and patrolling soldiers a common sight in the direct proximity of the plant. Do not make photographs of the checkpoints or whoever guards them. When photographing the NSC or any of the former power plant structures, avoid putting the 2 spent fuel storage facility and its supporting structures in view, as this tends to make guards nervous. When caught, your camera might be confiscated or your SD card formatted.
Ostati zdrav
- Vidi također: Nuclear tourism#Stay safe
Beside the invisible radiation danger, there are the too small to easily notice krpelji, which can be encountered in abundance in grassy areas and grasslands. When bitten by a tick there is a chance of contracting Borreliosis (Lyme disease), with risk of severe permanent consequences such as paralysis of limbs. When venturing into grasslands, cover as much skin as possible (long trousers and sleeves), and wear high wellies rather than regular shoes. If you spot ticks on clothes, wipe them off before they can reach down to your skin. If red concentric circles appear after three days up to a month after visiting, you might be infected and should consult a doctor odmah. Tick bites can not always be felt, so inspect your skin meticulously when undressing!
As of September 2020, there is an active rabies outbreak in the Exclusion Zone. Any contact with wild animals should be avoided, and a rabies vaccine is recommended.
Most forested areas should be avoided. Whereas areas accessible to tourists near the reactor and Pripyat generally has low radiation in most areas (but notably not in the hospital basement), forested areas may have higher levels of radiation, in part because no decontamination was attempted in those areas.
Do not ingest any material found within the exclusion zone as it may be radioactive. Food and drinks at the canteen do not come from the exclusion zone, so they should be safe.
Radiation hygiene is a very important consideration for in-depth visits, both for your safety and because radioactive contamination discovered on visitors at the Zone checkpoints is construed as prima facie evidence of rules violations (entering structures and straying from paved areas). If you go to the Zone with the goal of exploring and wallowing in the most contaminated areas (e.g. the Pripyat polyclinic or the "Red Forest"), pay attention! As of 2013, the Lelev checkpoint at the 10 km boundary is operational and all visitors must pass through the portal monitors while a police officer scans the vehicle and its interior contents with a scintillator; thus, it is no longer possible to plan on cleaning up at accommodations in Chernobyl in order to pass inspection at the 30-km boundary. You must be radiologically pristine (well, almost!) before getting back in the vehicle after going exploring. Take the following hygiene equipment, which you should have in easy reach for when you return to your vehicle:
- Pancake thin-window Geiger-Muller survey instrument. Cover the probe with a plastic bag to avoid contaminating it.
- Disposable gloves
- An abundance of carbonated bottled water, purchased at one of the small stores in Chernobyl before you head out to explore
- A cleaning brush with long bristles
- Pocket knife for cutting contaminated spots out of shoe soles (disposable shoe covers are a nice idea but they always break)
- Scissors for cutting contaminated hair
- A change of clothes and/or a disposable Tyvek coverall
Wear gloves while exploring to avoid contaminating hands. After exploration in contaminated areas, remove any obviously-contaminated outerwear like coverall or gloves or street clothes and pack it out in your luggage like a good citizen (low levels of contamination on these articles will be detected by the personnel portal monitors, but will not be noticed in luggage by the wand detectors the police use). Pass the GM probe over your body slowly and identify any spots exceeding about 500 CPM. First, attempt to wash as much of the contamination in these areas off by means of water and brushing. Contaminated hair or shoelaces should simply be cut off, as washing these will prove futile. Shoe soles are sometimes resistant to washing, in which case the offending spots should be reduced by cutting off with a knife. Your goal during cleanup should be to eliminate any spots on your body where the count rate exceeds 500 CPM on the pancake instrument, with particular attention to feet and hands. Avoiding contamination in the first place would in theory be preferable, but if you're reading this, you probably didn't come to Chernobyl to sit around staying clean.
The levels of radiation on guided tours are relatively small; radiation levels in most places are less than those of being in an aircraft flying at 30,000 ft. The main danger is not in the radiation, but in particles of radioactive materials that may remain on your clothes or items. Those who actually follow the rules (stay on pavement, out of buildings) will almost never trigger the portal monitor alarms at Dytyatky and can safely ignore the in-depth "radiation hygiene" discussion above.
A lethal dose of radiation is in the range of 3–5 Sv (sieverts) (300–500 roentgens) when administered within an hour. Levels on the tour reportedly range from 0.15 to several microsieverts (µSv) per hour (fifteen to several hundred microroentgens an hour). A microsievert is one-millionth of a sievert.
Example: On a six-hour trip arranged in October 2008 the total dose was 4 microsieverts according to the meter (400 microroentgens). This was less than the total dose of the connecting two-hour flight, which was 6 microsieverts (600 microroentgens). Radiation levels by the power plant were 1.7 microsieverts per hour (170 microroentgens per hour) and they varied between 0.4 and 9.5 µSv per hour (40–950 microroentgens per hour) in the Pripyat amusement park. Thus, risks are pretty much non-existent as long as you avoid hot spots and don't get yourself contaminated.
 | Bilješka: Stay on roads; the radiation levels on areas covered by vegetation are significantly higher. Even more important, the risk for contamination when walking amongst vegetation is higher because it is more difficult to avoid touching or inhaling anything. Follow common sense if you are on your own; if you see an area marked with a radiation sign, the meaning is clear: don't go there. |
The International Council on Radiation Protection has a recommended annual limit of 50 mSv (5 rem) (uniform irradiation of the whole body) for nuclear plant workers.
Clinical effects are seen at 750–2,000 mSv (75–200 rem) when administered in a short time scale.
Since the levels are microsieverts (10−6) the general exposure level is very low. But it is still possible to be in contact with some very hot surfaces, so caution should be stressed.
One rem is equal to 1.07 R (roentgen), or 0.01 sieverts or 10 millisieverts.
Spojiti
There was no mobile communication infrastructure in the Exclusion Zone at the time of the accident, and none has been built ever since, so don't count on wireless reception. Notable exceptions are the area around the power plant and Chernobyl, which have 3G connectivity, and are the only places where you can get online.
There are no internet cafes, and there is no postal service in the Exclusion Zone. Post cards are for sale at the canteen in Chernobyl for 15 грн, but you'll need to take them out of the Zone to post them.
Poštovanje
When visiting the Exclusion Zone as tourist rather than for research or scientific purposes, keep in mind that this is still a disaster area that only just started its long way toward recovery. Some of the locals have lively memories of how the accident unfolded, and almost everyone has been affected by it: people have been forced to evacuate, and many have lost relatives due to radiation induced effects.
Do not expect to be welcomed warmly into the Exclusion Zone. Tourists are only tolerated because they bring revenue into an area where virtually all other economic activities have ceased since 1986. This is not a safari park but the site of the worst civilian nuclear disaster in the history of mankind, so behave accordingly when interacting with locals. Being interested and asking questions is okay, but excitement is misplaced.
Idi dalje
It's not possible to cross the border with Belarus from the Ukrainian side because the border runs through the Exclusion Zone and there are no manned border crossings. Onward travel options are: