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[alarm blaring]
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[speaking foreign
language over speaker]
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[dramatic music]
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- [Narrator] On April 26, 1986,
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the catastrophe shook
the whole of Europe
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00:01:32,057 --> 00:01:34,404
and the world would
experience a fatal day
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00:01:34,439 --> 00:01:37,097
that became engraved
in its history.
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00:01:41,170 --> 00:01:44,414
A catastrophe that would
turn an entire city
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into a post
apocalyptic ghost town.
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00:01:47,624 --> 00:01:50,386
[dramatic music]
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00:02:10,716 --> 00:02:14,134
A disaster that revealed
the true devastating nature
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00:02:14,168 --> 00:02:17,102
of nuclear energy
in the wrong hands.
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00:02:17,137 --> 00:02:19,863
[dramatic music]
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00:02:28,044 --> 00:02:30,805
This is the tragedy of Chernobyl
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00:02:30,840 --> 00:02:34,671
and the damages that left
behind after a deadly fight
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00:02:34,706 --> 00:02:36,639
against an invisible enemy.
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00:02:48,651 --> 00:02:51,067
[calm music]
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00:03:15,091 --> 00:03:17,921
This appears to be
pristine wilderness,
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00:03:20,648 --> 00:03:22,374
a world full of life,
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00:03:28,553 --> 00:03:31,418
a quiet area where nature
and wildlife is thriving.
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[dramatic music]
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00:03:43,637 --> 00:03:46,226
This could be paradise on earth
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00:03:49,401 --> 00:03:51,886
but it has a dreadful secret.
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00:03:54,889 --> 00:03:57,823
[orchestral music]
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00:04:03,484 --> 00:04:06,211
Ukraine, 1986.
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00:04:06,246 --> 00:04:08,178
The Chernobyl
nuclear power plant
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00:04:08,213 --> 00:04:11,837
was one of the Soviet Union's
largest nuclear power plants.
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00:04:20,087 --> 00:04:24,367
Located 60 miles North of
Ukraine's capital city of Kiev
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00:04:24,402 --> 00:04:26,542
and near the border of Belarus.
32
00:04:37,346 --> 00:04:39,865
Chernobyl was about
nine miles away
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00:04:39,900 --> 00:04:43,110
and home to about
12,000 residents.
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00:04:43,144 --> 00:04:46,044
[orchestral music]
35
00:05:20,389 --> 00:05:21,838
Closer to the plant,
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00:05:21,873 --> 00:05:24,496
only two miles away
from the reactors,
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00:05:24,531 --> 00:05:27,361
the city of Pripyat
was built in 1970
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00:05:27,396 --> 00:05:29,398
as a home for the plant workers.
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00:05:30,502 --> 00:05:32,435
This new city had high quality
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00:05:32,470 --> 00:05:34,368
and modern high-rise buildings.
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00:05:40,788 --> 00:05:43,619
Pripyat housed
almost 50,000 people.
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00:05:46,622 --> 00:05:50,073
It was lively and
rich, full of talents,
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00:05:50,108 --> 00:05:51,903
and goods were more
available there
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00:05:51,937 --> 00:05:53,801
than in any other
parts of the Union.
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00:05:57,149 --> 00:06:00,325
[lively upbeat music]
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00:06:07,815 --> 00:06:09,817
Pripyat was the
perfect execution
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00:06:09,852 --> 00:06:12,268
of Soviet planning in ideology.
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00:06:13,442 --> 00:06:14,926
It seemed to be promising,
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00:06:19,033 --> 00:06:21,139
but its future wouldn't
be the bright one
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00:06:21,173 --> 00:06:22,382
that had been predicted.
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00:06:27,041 --> 00:06:32,046
In the spring of 1986,
its fate was sealed.
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00:06:40,365 --> 00:06:43,092
[dramatic music]
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00:06:46,923 --> 00:06:49,788
Inside the Chernobyl
nuclear power plant,
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00:06:49,823 --> 00:06:53,413
there were RBMK-1000
type reactors.
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00:07:00,212 --> 00:07:02,594
They would be proven
to be highly dangerous
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00:07:02,629 --> 00:07:04,493
due to having a design flaw.
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00:07:05,459 --> 00:07:06,943
According to the workers,
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00:07:06,978 --> 00:07:09,152
reactor number four
was the best of all.
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00:07:16,643 --> 00:07:19,439
It turned out they couldn't
have been more wrong.
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00:07:26,031 --> 00:07:28,758
[dramatic music]
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00:07:38,250 --> 00:07:42,876
On 26th of April,
1986, at 1:23 AM,
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00:07:42,910 --> 00:07:45,568
a catastrophe shook
the whole of Europe.
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00:07:50,055 --> 00:07:52,195
And the world would
experience a fatal day
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00:07:52,230 --> 00:07:54,474
that became engraved
in its history;
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00:07:56,786 --> 00:07:59,409
a major nuclear accident.
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00:08:03,344 --> 00:08:06,693
One of the worst manmade
disasters of all time.
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00:08:12,353 --> 00:08:15,529
The largest nuclear
catastrophe to this day.
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[speaking foreign
language over speaker]
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The amount of radiation
was 400 times higher
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than what was released by the
Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombs
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00:09:03,025 --> 00:09:04,613
in 1945.
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00:09:14,036 --> 00:09:15,451
A radioactive cloud
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00:09:15,485 --> 00:09:18,040
spread over the entire
European continent.
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00:09:22,044 --> 00:09:23,252
On that night,
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00:09:23,286 --> 00:09:26,013
a routine safety check
went horribly wrong.
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00:09:29,672 --> 00:09:31,812
The reactor four exploded,
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00:09:31,847 --> 00:09:35,851
ripping the 1000 ton
roof off in the process.
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00:09:35,885 --> 00:09:39,786
The power plant was shaken
by two enormous explosions.
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00:09:40,994 --> 00:09:42,340
During the test,
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00:09:42,374 --> 00:09:45,067
inadequately trained
personnel made fatal mistakes
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00:09:45,101 --> 00:09:48,104
and violated safety protocols.
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Despite attempts to shut
down the reactor entirely,
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a power surge caused a chain
reaction of explosions inside.
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00:10:00,220 --> 00:10:01,428
Finally,
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00:10:01,462 --> 00:10:03,706
the nuclear core
itself was exposed
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00:10:03,741 --> 00:10:06,157
causing a nuclear meltdown,
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00:10:06,191 --> 00:10:09,367
spewing radioactive dust
into the atmosphere.
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00:10:27,696 --> 00:10:30,043
In the springtime of 1986,
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00:10:30,077 --> 00:10:32,010
where flowers were
supposed to bloom
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00:10:32,045 --> 00:10:34,357
and nature come back to life,
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00:10:34,392 --> 00:10:38,879
a whole ecosystem was
disturbed, broken.
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00:10:38,914 --> 00:10:41,675
[dramatic music]
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00:10:57,760 --> 00:10:59,279
From then on,
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00:10:59,313 --> 00:11:02,351
a relentless fight against
an invisible enemy began
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00:11:02,385 --> 00:11:05,250
putting thousands of
lives on the line.
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00:11:05,285 --> 00:11:07,494
The incident would turn
out to be a milestone
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in the history of nuclear power,
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00:11:09,634 --> 00:11:12,568
and the catalyst of the
collapse of the Soviet Union
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as they tried to cover it up.
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00:11:15,467 --> 00:11:18,885
The people became disillusioned
with the Soviet ideology.
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00:11:22,820 --> 00:11:25,581
[dramatic music]
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The station immediately became
unsuitable for human life,
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00:11:47,465 --> 00:11:50,088
and this disaster will
haunt its inhabitants,
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00:11:50,123 --> 00:11:51,883
and have repercussions
on the country
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00:11:51,918 --> 00:11:53,643
for thousands of years.
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00:11:53,678 --> 00:11:56,439
[dramatic music]
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00:12:26,884 --> 00:12:29,645
[dramatic music]
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00:12:40,656 --> 00:12:43,314
[alarm blaring]
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00:12:44,867 --> 00:12:47,905
The explosions immediately
killed two workers.
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They were the first to die
within hours of the accident.
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00:12:55,360 --> 00:12:57,293
More than 100 were injured.
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00:13:10,099 --> 00:13:12,792
[dramatic music]
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00:13:18,314 --> 00:13:20,489
The first firemen to
arrive at the scene
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00:13:20,523 --> 00:13:22,594
battled the fire heroically
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00:13:22,629 --> 00:13:25,701
and without any adequate
protective equipment
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unaware of the radiation
seeping into the atmosphere.
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00:13:29,809 --> 00:13:32,812
They poured tons of water
on this strange fire,
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00:13:32,846 --> 00:13:34,814
but nothing seemed
to be putting it out.
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00:13:37,299 --> 00:13:41,993
Some began to lose
consciousness. Others
started vomiting.
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00:13:44,754 --> 00:13:47,516
At least 5% of the
radioactive reactor core
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00:13:47,550 --> 00:13:49,656
was released into
the atmosphere.
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00:13:58,872 --> 00:14:01,737
People were urgently rushed
to the nearby hospitals
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00:14:06,397 --> 00:14:09,641
and all the contaminated
clothes, footwear and bed linen
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00:14:09,676 --> 00:14:10,746
were thrown away.
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00:14:14,370 --> 00:14:16,096
Over the next coming weeks,
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00:14:16,131 --> 00:14:20,273
on a total of 134 servicemen
that were injured,
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00:14:20,307 --> 00:14:22,965
28 firefighters and
plant workers would die
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00:14:23,000 --> 00:14:24,864
from Acute Radiation Syndrome.
129
00:14:29,213 --> 00:14:32,457
Many more contracted
serious illness.
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00:14:41,121 --> 00:14:43,675
They were the first
victims of Chernobyl.
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00:14:50,337 --> 00:14:52,167
For the next several days,
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00:14:52,201 --> 00:14:55,032
emergency crews desperately
tried to contain the fire
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00:14:55,066 --> 00:14:56,516
and radiation leaks.
134
00:14:59,381 --> 00:15:03,937
The death toll kept climbing.
The fire was still burning.
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00:15:10,150 --> 00:15:11,634
On the third day,
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00:15:11,669 --> 00:15:15,362
80 helicopters were sent from
Moscow to put the fire out.
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00:15:15,397 --> 00:15:16,639
When they arrived,
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00:15:16,674 --> 00:15:20,057
the temperature made it
impossible to get close.
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00:15:20,091 --> 00:15:21,334
From the air,
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00:15:21,368 --> 00:15:23,819
soldiers threw out 80
kilograms of sandbags
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00:15:23,853 --> 00:15:26,408
into the blaze with
their bare hands
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00:15:26,442 --> 00:15:28,997
to fill up the reactors
and smother the fire.
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00:15:30,067 --> 00:15:31,551
In two days,
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00:15:31,585 --> 00:15:36,314
2,400 tons of lead would also
be dropped into the reactor.
145
00:15:41,181 --> 00:15:44,771
After a few missions, soldiers
would start throwing up.
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00:15:48,740 --> 00:15:50,121
It was heroism.
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00:15:52,261 --> 00:15:56,334
It had to be done. There
was no better solution.
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00:16:00,718 --> 00:16:01,995
During this operation,
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00:16:02,030 --> 00:16:04,860
600 pilots were
contaminated with radiation.
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00:16:06,862 --> 00:16:09,002
There was despair
and hopelessness
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00:16:09,037 --> 00:16:12,281
as the situation seemed
impossible to deal with.
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00:16:14,076 --> 00:16:17,010
Flying around in
helicopters wasn't enough.
153
00:16:17,045 --> 00:16:20,393
They needed to get closer
and down into the core.
154
00:16:22,050 --> 00:16:23,396
But how?
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00:16:23,430 --> 00:16:25,536
Something had to be done
156
00:16:25,570 --> 00:16:27,469
to keep the magma
from melting down.
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00:16:45,659 --> 00:16:48,386
[dramatic music]
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00:16:51,182 --> 00:16:53,115
They came up with a solution,
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00:16:53,150 --> 00:16:55,635
but it would cause the
loss of more lives.
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00:16:57,085 --> 00:17:01,158
They built a 550 foot long
tunnel below the reactor.
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00:17:01,192 --> 00:17:05,955
The fire took 10 days and 250
firefighters to extinguish it.
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00:17:06,853 --> 00:17:08,337
However,
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00:17:08,372 --> 00:17:11,030
toxic emissions continued to
escape into the atmosphere.
164
00:17:12,307 --> 00:17:15,379
Later on, the crews
discovered something horrific;
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00:17:15,413 --> 00:17:18,071
the most toxic mass on earth.
166
00:17:19,521 --> 00:17:24,043
A solid large radioactive
mass of melted nuclear fuel,
167
00:17:24,077 --> 00:17:25,768
metal and concrete,
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00:17:25,803 --> 00:17:28,599
located beneath the
destroyed reactor four.
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00:17:29,669 --> 00:17:31,740
The radiation
readers made it clear
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00:17:31,774 --> 00:17:35,606
that what was inside was
something to be avoided.
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00:17:35,640 --> 00:17:37,953
They called it 'the
Elephant's Foot'.
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00:17:39,403 --> 00:17:41,991
Scientists believe that it
is going to emit radiation
173
00:17:42,026 --> 00:17:43,821
for many centuries to come.
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00:17:44,925 --> 00:17:46,099
In a month,
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00:17:46,134 --> 00:17:49,033
10,000 miners would
be sent to work there
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00:17:49,068 --> 00:17:52,071
facing extremely
dangerous conditions.
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00:18:02,150 --> 00:18:04,876
[dramatic music]
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00:18:20,720 --> 00:18:25,104
A total of 600,000 rescuers,
including firefighters,
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00:18:25,138 --> 00:18:28,141
pilots, miners, and
local volunteers,
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00:18:28,176 --> 00:18:30,488
were sent from
all over the union
181
00:18:30,523 --> 00:18:33,526
to fight against this
terrifying invisible enemy
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00:18:33,560 --> 00:18:35,183
and to clean up the disaster.
183
00:18:37,633 --> 00:18:41,016
These people would be
called 'the liquidators'.
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00:18:49,852 --> 00:18:52,579
[dramatic music]
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00:19:06,835 --> 00:19:09,803
These men and women who
fought a ruthless battle
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00:19:09,838 --> 00:19:12,979
have now become almost
forgotten heroes
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00:19:13,013 --> 00:19:16,534
yet it is thanks to them
that the worst was avoided.
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00:19:16,569 --> 00:19:19,296
[dramatic music]
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00:19:59,715 --> 00:20:02,891
[lively upbeat music]
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00:20:11,210 --> 00:20:12,590
At the Kremlin in Moscow,
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00:20:12,625 --> 00:20:15,110
eight hours after the disaster,
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00:20:15,144 --> 00:20:18,803
Mikhail Gorbachev, leader
of the Soviet Union,
193
00:20:18,838 --> 00:20:21,461
received very limited
information on the situation.
194
00:20:22,842 --> 00:20:26,225
The first information
consisted of accident and fire,
195
00:20:31,885 --> 00:20:35,234
but no word about an explosion.
196
00:20:39,065 --> 00:20:42,724
The reaction of Soviet
government was controversial.
197
00:20:42,758 --> 00:20:44,243
For years,
198
00:20:44,277 --> 00:20:47,349
the secretive state tried to
cover up what really happened.
199
00:20:47,384 --> 00:20:50,594
At first they ordered a
complete media blackout
200
00:20:50,628 --> 00:20:53,562
only to avoid
panic, they claimed.
201
00:20:53,597 --> 00:20:56,565
The less knowledge and the
more silence, the better.
202
00:20:58,049 --> 00:21:01,363
But frightening gossips were
already going around the city.
203
00:21:01,398 --> 00:21:04,124
The situation was
underestimated.
204
00:21:12,029 --> 00:21:14,583
No one really knew the
scope of the accident.
205
00:21:22,211 --> 00:21:24,283
Even doctors were
strictly instructed
206
00:21:24,317 --> 00:21:27,389
not to tell the patients
that something was wrong,
207
00:21:27,424 --> 00:21:29,322
and that they would
lose their jobs
208
00:21:29,357 --> 00:21:30,979
if they said anything opposite.
209
00:21:34,741 --> 00:21:36,812
A few days after the accident,
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00:21:36,847 --> 00:21:39,677
and despite alarming
radiation levels,
211
00:21:39,712 --> 00:21:41,472
authorities still
encouraged people
212
00:21:41,507 --> 00:21:44,026
to participate in
May Day celebrations,
213
00:21:44,061 --> 00:21:47,892
even in areas they knew to
be seriously contaminated.
214
00:21:52,069 --> 00:21:53,208
Disturbingly,
215
00:21:53,242 --> 00:21:56,487
all footage of May 1st, 1986,
216
00:21:56,522 --> 00:22:00,111
has now disappeared from the
Ukrainian National Archives.
217
00:22:27,622 --> 00:22:30,901
In Pripyat, by early
afternoon the next day,
218
00:22:30,935 --> 00:22:34,491
the radiation readings
were already 15,000 times
219
00:22:34,525 --> 00:22:36,631
higher than usual.
220
00:22:36,665 --> 00:22:39,530
By the evening, it had
increased even more
221
00:22:39,565 --> 00:22:42,947
creating a lethal dose
for the inhabitants.
222
00:22:42,982 --> 00:22:46,365
They would die in only
four days if they stayed.
223
00:22:52,612 --> 00:22:55,857
Even on photographs
radiation was visible,
224
00:23:01,000 --> 00:23:03,036
but the city's
communication was cut
225
00:23:03,071 --> 00:23:04,486
and all roads were blocked
226
00:23:04,521 --> 00:23:07,178
to make sure no information
left the municipality.
227
00:23:08,352 --> 00:23:10,043
Unaware of the
disaster happening
228
00:23:10,078 --> 00:23:12,183
only three kilometers away,
229
00:23:12,218 --> 00:23:14,945
people continued to
live their normal lives.
230
00:23:23,125 --> 00:23:26,025
Children continued to play
in the radioactive sand
231
00:23:26,059 --> 00:23:27,854
of the amusement parks
232
00:23:27,889 --> 00:23:30,685
while radioactive particles
were falling on the grounds.
233
00:23:38,175 --> 00:23:40,936
[dramatic music]
234
00:23:48,599 --> 00:23:50,774
By the evening of April 26th,
235
00:23:50,808 --> 00:23:53,052
windows and doors
should have been sealed
236
00:23:53,086 --> 00:23:54,881
and iodide tablets swallowed.
237
00:23:59,886 --> 00:24:02,717
But such order had
not been given.
238
00:24:08,377 --> 00:24:11,104
The government only
started distributing iodide
239
00:24:11,139 --> 00:24:13,037
10 days after the explosion.
240
00:24:14,487 --> 00:24:16,420
Wrong doses were also
administered to children.
241
00:24:17,386 --> 00:24:19,906
By that point, it was useless.
242
00:24:19,941 --> 00:24:23,116
Iodide can protect
from thyroid cancer
243
00:24:23,151 --> 00:24:25,084
only if it's given
in the right time;
244
00:24:25,118 --> 00:24:28,328
a maximum of 18
hours after exposure.
245
00:24:33,748 --> 00:24:37,579
- [Andrew] In Chernobyl, the
population was not moved.
246
00:24:37,614 --> 00:24:40,996
The contaminated food stuffswere kept within the food chain
247
00:24:41,031 --> 00:24:42,515
for critical period
248
00:24:42,550 --> 00:24:44,517
and iodine tablets
weren't handed out
249
00:24:44,552 --> 00:24:47,002
to protect the thyroid
from thyroid cancer.
250
00:24:47,900 --> 00:24:49,246
- [Narrator] It was chaos.
251
00:24:50,972 --> 00:24:53,112
Nobody had any
training in radiation.
252
00:24:54,285 --> 00:24:56,943
At Chios National
Medical Library,
253
00:24:56,978 --> 00:24:58,911
the librarians even
received an order
254
00:24:58,945 --> 00:25:00,775
to take all the books
from the shelves
255
00:25:00,809 --> 00:25:03,053
that contained the
word radiation.
256
00:25:05,089 --> 00:25:07,402
The disaster was expanding.
257
00:25:10,785 --> 00:25:13,512
No one in the surrounding
areas was evacuated
258
00:25:13,546 --> 00:25:16,894
until about 36 hours
after the disaster began.
259
00:25:17,895 --> 00:25:19,414
By that time,
260
00:25:19,448 --> 00:25:21,692
many residents were already
complaining about headaches,
261
00:25:21,727 --> 00:25:26,076
vomiting, and other early
signs of radiation sickness.
262
00:25:26,110 --> 00:25:27,456
It was terrifying.
263
00:25:30,770 --> 00:25:33,497
But the situation
turned critical.
264
00:25:33,532 --> 00:25:36,604
The evacuations of Pripyat
commenced on the next day
265
00:25:36,638 --> 00:25:37,743
on April 27th.
266
00:25:47,407 --> 00:25:50,169
[dramatic music]
267
00:26:18,853 --> 00:26:20,613
The people living
around Chernobyl
268
00:26:20,648 --> 00:26:22,960
were finally notified
about the accident.
269
00:26:33,281 --> 00:26:34,938
But authorities falsely stated
270
00:26:34,972 --> 00:26:36,905
that they had it under control.
271
00:26:36,940 --> 00:26:40,460
And that the evacuation
was only temporary.
272
00:26:40,495 --> 00:26:43,463
Only the most necessary
belongings were needed.
273
00:26:43,498 --> 00:26:46,466
Personal documents and
some food, they were told.
274
00:26:57,685 --> 00:26:59,134
In a matter of a few hours,
275
00:26:59,169 --> 00:27:01,205
people had to leave their homes,
276
00:27:01,240 --> 00:27:03,000
their entire lives behind.
277
00:27:08,627 --> 00:27:11,630
[calm upbeat music]
278
00:27:17,532 --> 00:27:22,364
They were told that they were
leaving for three days only.
279
00:27:32,029 --> 00:27:34,135
They would never come back.
280
00:27:43,800 --> 00:27:46,872
The evacuation was
a massive operation.
281
00:27:46,906 --> 00:27:50,599
49,000 people were forced
to flee in under four hours.
282
00:27:50,634 --> 00:27:53,395
[dramatic music]
283
00:28:01,162 --> 00:28:04,579
Officials finally closed
off the area by May 14th,
284
00:28:04,613 --> 00:28:07,962
establishing an exclusion
zone around the reactor
285
00:28:07,996 --> 00:28:12,242
and evacuating another
116,000 residents.
286
00:28:16,453 --> 00:28:20,250
But it was too late.
The damage was done.
287
00:28:21,941 --> 00:28:23,667
- Somebody at the
top has to decide
288
00:28:23,702 --> 00:28:24,875
what's going to happen.
289
00:28:24,910 --> 00:28:26,256
But what I don't
think will happen
290
00:28:26,290 --> 00:28:27,740
is that they will
suddenly, as it were,
291
00:28:27,775 --> 00:28:29,638
come clean and become very open,
292
00:28:29,673 --> 00:28:31,744
allow international
inspection itself.
293
00:28:31,779 --> 00:28:33,677
What is much more
likely to happen is that
294
00:28:33,712 --> 00:28:35,230
in the course of time,
295
00:28:35,265 --> 00:28:38,509
new information will be
released in dribs and drabs.
296
00:28:38,544 --> 00:28:40,857
But this will come
out as they see fit.
297
00:28:40,891 --> 00:28:43,273
They're not going to
suddenly open the doors
298
00:28:43,307 --> 00:28:45,275
to people to go in to
see what's happened.
299
00:28:45,309 --> 00:28:46,966
And I don't think that
they're going to accept
300
00:28:47,001 --> 00:28:48,588
international aid either.
301
00:28:51,074 --> 00:28:53,870
- [Narrator] People were moved
to other regions in Ukraine,
302
00:28:53,904 --> 00:28:57,494
and most of the power plant
workers were sent to Kiev.
303
00:28:57,528 --> 00:29:02,257
In total, some 350,000
people were evacuated.
304
00:29:10,679 --> 00:29:13,337
[dramatic music]
305
00:29:13,372 --> 00:29:16,099
No news about Chernobyl
surfaced until the next days
306
00:29:16,133 --> 00:29:18,757
in the rest of the Soviet Union.
307
00:29:18,791 --> 00:29:20,241
In fact,
308
00:29:20,275 --> 00:29:22,036
the citizens only found
out about the catastrophe
309
00:29:22,070 --> 00:29:24,314
via foreign
communication channels.
310
00:29:26,626 --> 00:29:28,767
The Soviet media
channels kept quiet
311
00:29:28,801 --> 00:29:30,734
until Sweden was
the first country
312
00:29:30,769 --> 00:29:33,426
to detect that something
disastrous had happened.
313
00:29:35,774 --> 00:29:38,052
This forced the Soviet
government to come out.
314
00:29:43,298 --> 00:29:47,268
Such a massive disaster was
impossible to hide for long.
315
00:29:51,237 --> 00:29:54,275
Radiation spread
quickly around Europe,
316
00:29:54,309 --> 00:29:57,002
immediately affecting
Scandinavian countries.
317
00:30:00,488 --> 00:30:02,490
It was only on the 14th of May,
318
00:30:02,524 --> 00:30:04,837
after the 1st of
May celebrations,
319
00:30:04,872 --> 00:30:07,391
and three weeks
after the accident,
320
00:30:07,426 --> 00:30:11,292
that Gorbachev decided to make
a public announcement on TV.
321
00:30:11,326 --> 00:30:12,603
- Today on Soviet television,
322
00:30:12,638 --> 00:30:14,122
Mr. Gorbachev said the accident
323
00:30:14,157 --> 00:30:16,953
has deeply affected
the Soviet people.
324
00:30:16,987 --> 00:30:19,610
And as he put it,
disturbed world opinion.
325
00:30:19,645 --> 00:30:21,198
He told his fellow countrymen
326
00:30:21,233 --> 00:30:23,269
that the worst is
now behind them.
327
00:30:23,304 --> 00:30:26,548
It has certainly taken Mr. Gorbachev a long time
328
00:30:26,583 --> 00:30:27,515
to go public.
329
00:30:29,344 --> 00:30:32,244
- [Translator] We were recently
stricken by a disaster;
330
00:30:32,278 --> 00:30:35,005
the Chernobyl nuclear
power accident.
331
00:30:35,040 --> 00:30:37,076
It deeply affected
the Soviet people
332
00:30:37,111 --> 00:30:38,595
and disturbed world opinion.
333
00:30:38,629 --> 00:30:41,391
[dramatic music]
334
00:30:45,705 --> 00:30:48,501
- [Narrator] The news finally
reached the entire country.
335
00:30:54,783 --> 00:30:56,855
- [Reporter] The white house says Mr. Reagan's attempt
336
00:30:56,889 --> 00:31:00,030
to discuss the situation with Mr. Gorbachev personally
337
00:31:00,065 --> 00:31:02,446
have been ignored by the
Kremlin for four days.
338
00:31:04,586 --> 00:31:06,657
- They're usually a
little close mouthed.
339
00:31:06,692 --> 00:31:09,108
[speaking inaudibly]
340
00:31:09,143 --> 00:31:11,490
- We don't think that
they have provided
341
00:31:11,524 --> 00:31:14,355
as full and prompt information as they should have.
342
00:31:14,389 --> 00:31:17,772
Our own pictures
give us information
343
00:31:17,806 --> 00:31:20,602
that suggests the
casualty rates are higher
344
00:31:20,637 --> 00:31:23,019
than those that have been
announced by the Soviet Union
345
00:31:23,053 --> 00:31:25,331
so far, by a good measure.
346
00:31:25,366 --> 00:31:28,127
[dramatic music]
347
00:31:54,464 --> 00:31:56,121
- [Narrator] As the
crisis continued,
348
00:31:56,155 --> 00:31:59,158
more economic, technical,
and scientific forces
349
00:31:59,193 --> 00:32:00,366
were mobilized.
350
00:32:06,476 --> 00:32:09,237
It was a frontline
emergency situation.
351
00:32:14,933 --> 00:32:18,591
The radioactive cloud
continued to drift over Europe.
352
00:32:20,179 --> 00:32:24,080
It soon reached the United
Kingdom, France and Italy.
353
00:32:24,114 --> 00:32:26,668
The French authorities
denied its presence.
354
00:32:31,501 --> 00:32:32,812
In Chernobyl,
355
00:32:32,847 --> 00:32:35,919
the radioactivity
continued to climb.
356
00:32:35,954 --> 00:32:39,923
Millions of acres of forest and
farm land were contaminated.
357
00:32:39,958 --> 00:32:42,374
And although many
people were evacuated,
358
00:32:42,408 --> 00:32:44,963
hundreds of thousands
more remained.
359
00:32:58,148 --> 00:33:02,601
Animals were also highly
contaminated and left abandoned.
360
00:33:02,635 --> 00:33:07,295
Nobody took care of them.
Their owners wouldn't return.
361
00:33:07,330 --> 00:33:09,711
Special hunting
squads were formed,
362
00:33:09,746 --> 00:33:13,439
killing cats, dogs and all other
animals because of the fear
363
00:33:13,474 --> 00:33:15,683
that they would keep
spreading the radiation.
364
00:33:29,283 --> 00:33:32,251
Soon, but unfortunately
not soon enough,
365
00:33:32,286 --> 00:33:34,150
the entire world realized
366
00:33:34,184 --> 00:33:37,015
that it was witnessing
a historic event.
367
00:33:49,889 --> 00:33:52,271
[calm music]
368
00:34:09,254 --> 00:34:12,188
34 years after the disaster,
369
00:34:12,222 --> 00:34:16,675
the area of Chernobyl remains
uninhabitable and abandoned.
370
00:34:16,709 --> 00:34:20,092
Although Pripyat is safe
enough for a brief visit,
371
00:34:20,127 --> 00:34:22,888
the cleanup was a
massive operation.
372
00:34:22,922 --> 00:34:26,236
It took years and involved
hundreds of thousands of people.
373
00:34:27,410 --> 00:34:28,894
Today, surprisingly,
374
00:34:28,928 --> 00:34:32,277
there are still about 120
people who self settled
375
00:34:32,311 --> 00:34:34,831
and are still living
in the exclusion zone.
376
00:34:36,246 --> 00:34:38,869
Around 8 million people live
in the contaminated areas
377
00:34:38,904 --> 00:34:41,838
of the Ukraine,
Russia, and Belarus.
378
00:34:42,804 --> 00:34:44,358
For all these years,
379
00:34:44,392 --> 00:34:46,429
they've been living
on contaminated land
380
00:34:46,463 --> 00:34:47,740
and radioactive food.
381
00:34:53,160 --> 00:34:56,715
This is an issue that has
been systematically ignored.
382
00:35:11,316 --> 00:35:12,524
- [Joseph] In takes after
383
00:35:12,558 --> 00:35:14,871
was a very long time
to decontaminate.
384
00:35:14,905 --> 00:35:16,355
You know that the one
test in the beginning
385
00:35:16,390 --> 00:35:19,117
must have been many years ago, over 30 years ago.
386
00:35:19,151 --> 00:35:20,325
It took years
387
00:35:20,359 --> 00:35:22,879
before the people
could go back there
388
00:35:22,913 --> 00:35:24,260
and even then it was not allowed
389
00:35:24,294 --> 00:35:26,538
to eat the food growing there.
390
00:35:26,572 --> 00:35:29,472
It may take years and years
before it goes back to normal.
391
00:35:57,327 --> 00:36:00,227
- [Narrator] The consequences
are still felt nowadays.
392
00:36:08,545 --> 00:36:09,891
Among humans,
393
00:36:09,926 --> 00:36:12,204
radiation induced
illnesses and cancer deaths
394
00:36:12,239 --> 00:36:14,448
were expected in the longterm,
395
00:36:14,482 --> 00:36:18,176
including thyroid cancer,
birth defects, mutations,
396
00:36:18,210 --> 00:36:22,973
and deformations, intellectual
and physical disabilities,
397
00:36:26,598 --> 00:36:28,496
and overall pain and suffering.
398
00:36:32,328 --> 00:36:35,193
[machine beeping]
399
00:36:45,168 --> 00:36:48,309
[lively upbeat music]
400
00:36:57,663 --> 00:37:01,219
Livestock and wildlife
were also highly affected.
401
00:37:28,315 --> 00:37:31,076
[dramatic music]
402
00:37:52,408 --> 00:37:53,616
In West Germany,
403
00:37:53,650 --> 00:37:55,963
down syndrome peaked
for nine months in 87.
404
00:38:09,148 --> 00:38:11,323
The United Nations
Scientific Committee
405
00:38:11,358 --> 00:38:13,463
reported that more
than 6,000 children
406
00:38:13,498 --> 00:38:17,295
developed thyroid cancer after
being exposed to radiation.
407
00:38:22,058 --> 00:38:24,336
[people laughing]
408
00:38:24,371 --> 00:38:26,269
Although some experts
have recently claimed
409
00:38:26,304 --> 00:38:30,204
that there is no evidence of
a major public health impact
410
00:38:30,238 --> 00:38:32,413
attributable to
radiation exposure
411
00:38:32,448 --> 00:38:34,760
20 years after the accident.
412
00:38:39,489 --> 00:38:40,697
- [Woman] The Princess of Wales
413
00:38:40,732 --> 00:38:42,078
had asked to visit
these children.
414
00:38:42,112 --> 00:38:43,907
They're all suffering
from diseases
415
00:38:43,942 --> 00:38:47,221
which can't be treated
effectively in the Soviet Union.
416
00:38:47,255 --> 00:38:49,327
Three like four year old myself,
417
00:38:49,361 --> 00:38:51,190
have cancers which
appear to be connected
418
00:38:51,225 --> 00:38:52,606
with the Chernobyl disaster.
419
00:39:08,449 --> 00:39:11,210
[dramatic music]
420
00:39:36,546 --> 00:39:38,134
- [Narrator] The
liquidators were incapable
421
00:39:38,168 --> 00:39:40,274
of going back to a normal life.
422
00:39:46,625 --> 00:39:49,248
They were all victims of
the Chernobyl syndrome.
423
00:39:53,045 --> 00:39:56,394
The ones who survived were
disabled or unable to work.
424
00:39:58,396 --> 00:39:59,880
- [Translator] Even
robots couldn't work
425
00:39:59,914 --> 00:40:02,469
on top of those buildings
because of the radiation.
426
00:40:02,503 --> 00:40:03,746
And so they sent people.
427
00:40:03,780 --> 00:40:05,782
It was so dangerous
the men never stayed
428
00:40:05,817 --> 00:40:08,095
more than 20 to 40
seconds up there.
429
00:40:08,129 --> 00:40:10,338
Otherwise they'd get
completely irradiated.
430
00:40:22,454 --> 00:40:23,869
- [Woman] Anatoly
Vinucor used to work
431
00:40:23,904 --> 00:40:26,320
as a hospital
attendant in the area.
432
00:40:26,354 --> 00:40:29,392
He was sent to the site just
minutes after the explosion.
433
00:40:31,290 --> 00:40:34,017
- [Translator] The doctors found
radiation burns on my face,
434
00:40:34,052 --> 00:40:36,675
in my thoracic cage,
and in my throat.
435
00:40:36,710 --> 00:40:38,125
I could hardly eat.
436
00:40:38,159 --> 00:40:40,196
I looked through my
window all day long.
437
00:40:40,230 --> 00:40:42,129
I saw a car that
drove big black bags
438
00:40:42,163 --> 00:40:43,441
straight to the cemetery.
439
00:40:45,201 --> 00:40:46,409
- [Woman] Today,
440
00:40:46,444 --> 00:40:47,928
Anatoly suffers from
a dozen illnesses,
441
00:40:47,962 --> 00:40:50,344
all as a result of the
exposure to the radiation.
442
00:40:50,378 --> 00:40:52,553
And with a small
pension to live on,
443
00:40:52,588 --> 00:40:55,763
he struggles to cope with
the medication expenses.
444
00:40:55,798 --> 00:40:57,662
The Association
Sawyers Chernobyl
445
00:40:57,696 --> 00:41:00,768
offers financial support
to victims like Anatoly.
446
00:41:00,803 --> 00:41:03,219
Its president says that many
of them have the impression
447
00:41:03,253 --> 00:41:04,462
they have been forgotten.
448
00:41:05,946 --> 00:41:07,499
- [Translator] Medical help
to the people of Chernobyl
449
00:41:07,534 --> 00:41:08,949
has shrunk eight fold.
450
00:41:08,983 --> 00:41:11,330
Today it's only 6
million pruveners.
451
00:41:11,365 --> 00:41:14,506
That's equivalent to 20 Euro
cents per person per year.
452
00:41:14,541 --> 00:41:16,819
The Ukrainian government
has no respect.
453
00:41:24,033 --> 00:41:25,621
- [Narrator] According
to the military,
454
00:41:25,655 --> 00:41:28,244
out of the 600,000 liquidators,
455
00:41:30,004 --> 00:41:31,489
10% have died
456
00:41:35,562 --> 00:41:38,185
and 200,000 are disabled.
457
00:41:41,637 --> 00:41:44,398
[dramatic music]
458
00:41:48,298 --> 00:41:51,681
The real amount of radiation
these people are exposed to
459
00:41:51,716 --> 00:41:53,959
has never been revealed to them.
460
00:41:58,585 --> 00:42:00,518
There were a lot of lies
461
00:42:01,760 --> 00:42:04,522
and only a few realized
the scope of these lies.
462
00:42:07,697 --> 00:42:10,700
On the second anniversary
of the Chernobyl disaster,
463
00:42:10,735 --> 00:42:15,291
on the 27th of April,
1988, Valery Legasov,
464
00:42:15,325 --> 00:42:17,673
the chief of the commission
investigating it,
465
00:42:17,707 --> 00:42:20,434
and who had worked so
hard to unveil the truth,
466
00:42:21,608 --> 00:42:23,782
decided to end his life.
467
00:42:36,830 --> 00:42:38,625
He had recorded and
hidden the tapes
468
00:42:38,659 --> 00:42:41,662
blaming engineer
Anatoly Dyatlov,
469
00:42:41,697 --> 00:42:43,457
who was in charge
of the safety test
470
00:42:43,491 --> 00:42:45,873
that resulted in the disaster,
471
00:42:45,908 --> 00:42:47,944
and other superiors
for the incident.
472
00:42:58,196 --> 00:43:00,232
- [Mike] We are going
to talk this afternoon
473
00:43:00,267 --> 00:43:02,821
about the impact of Chernobyl
474
00:43:02,856 --> 00:43:06,376
something of the order of 40 or 45 deaths might be expected
475
00:43:06,411 --> 00:43:09,483
in all subsequent years, as a result of this accident.
476
00:43:15,178 --> 00:43:17,802
[dramatic music]
477
00:43:23,980 --> 00:43:25,154
- [Narrator] To this day,
478
00:43:25,188 --> 00:43:27,639
only 59 deaths have
been officially recorded
479
00:43:27,674 --> 00:43:29,676
and attributed to the disaster.
480
00:43:30,815 --> 00:43:33,783
The exact actual human
cost of Chernobyl
481
00:43:33,818 --> 00:43:35,474
will never really be known.
482
00:43:37,718 --> 00:43:40,031
There is little reliable data.
483
00:43:42,792 --> 00:43:45,105
The full consequences
of the accident,
484
00:43:45,139 --> 00:43:47,176
including impacts on health,
485
00:43:47,210 --> 00:43:49,627
remain highly debated
and understudied.
486
00:43:51,836 --> 00:43:56,495
Most estimates range from
4,000 to 93,000 deaths.
487
00:44:06,609 --> 00:44:09,612
In the first few months
following the catastrophe,
488
00:44:09,647 --> 00:44:12,477
Pripyat became a
conservation reserve.
489
00:44:15,825 --> 00:44:18,517
Flowers were planted
along the pavements.
490
00:44:18,552 --> 00:44:20,658
Goods were still in the shops.
491
00:44:20,692 --> 00:44:23,695
And even the traffic
lights continued to work.
492
00:44:23,730 --> 00:44:27,388
But there was no cars and
no sign of human life.
493
00:44:28,735 --> 00:44:29,943
As time passed,
494
00:44:29,977 --> 00:44:33,049
the city became more and
more empty, and silent.
495
00:44:34,223 --> 00:44:36,501
Some old inhabitants
illegally climbed back
496
00:44:36,535 --> 00:44:38,779
into their own homes to
see if they could find
497
00:44:38,814 --> 00:44:40,885
the belongings that
they'd left behind,
498
00:44:42,058 --> 00:44:44,889
only to realize that
nothing was there,
499
00:44:44,923 --> 00:44:46,649
and that it was all over.
500
00:44:48,030 --> 00:44:51,481
People came to rob the shops
and stole what was left.
501
00:44:51,516 --> 00:44:54,864
People still take things from
the dead city as souvenir.
502
00:44:58,592 --> 00:45:01,560
Pripyat may well be
the last place on earth
503
00:45:01,595 --> 00:45:05,564
to conserve a little Soviet
Union in its 1980s state.
504
00:45:06,911 --> 00:45:09,914
Now, trees and plants have
grown in the middle of the roads
505
00:45:09,948 --> 00:45:12,537
and are reclaiming
the whole town.
506
00:45:12,571 --> 00:45:14,194
The flowers are gone.
507
00:45:14,228 --> 00:45:16,196
The Soviet apartments
are crumbling.
508
00:45:17,059 --> 00:45:18,992
The 1st of May parades' posters
509
00:45:19,026 --> 00:45:20,752
still decorate the buildings.
510
00:45:24,860 --> 00:45:28,829
The amusement park with the
bumper cars were never used.
511
00:45:28,864 --> 00:45:30,969
And the Ferris wheel
that never turned
512
00:45:31,004 --> 00:45:33,661
has become an iconic
symbol of the disaster.
513
00:45:38,632 --> 00:45:41,669
In the areas just outside
the exclusion zone,
514
00:45:41,704 --> 00:45:44,189
people are beginning
to resettle.
515
00:45:44,224 --> 00:45:46,916
The deadly disaster of
Chernobyl and the ghost town
516
00:45:46,951 --> 00:45:49,919
had left behind
fascinated many people.
517
00:45:49,954 --> 00:45:54,441
Surprisingly, it even
became a tourism hotspot.
518
00:45:54,475 --> 00:45:58,997
In 2011, Ukraine opened
up the area to tourists.
519
00:45:59,032 --> 00:46:00,550
The town gives us a glimpse
520
00:46:00,585 --> 00:46:04,313
of what a real post-apocalyptic
world looks like.
521
00:46:04,347 --> 00:46:07,799
Deserted towns,
abandoned buildings,
522
00:46:07,834 --> 00:46:12,804
overgrown streets, high
grass, rusty vehicles.
523
00:46:13,701 --> 00:46:16,912
Everything crumbling, breaking,
524
00:46:16,946 --> 00:46:20,536
and among these, wild animals.
525
00:46:20,570 --> 00:46:22,020
It attracts numerous tourists
526
00:46:22,055 --> 00:46:23,953
who are interested
in its history,
527
00:46:23,988 --> 00:46:28,406
in its danger, and in immersing
themselves in the past.
528
00:46:29,441 --> 00:46:30,822
In fact,
529
00:46:30,857 --> 00:46:33,169
the exclusion zone was
ranked the most exotic place
530
00:46:33,204 --> 00:46:36,517
for tourism in the
world by Forbes in 2009.
531
00:46:37,691 --> 00:46:40,659
The zone is visited by
more than 70,000 people
532
00:46:40,694 --> 00:46:43,801
from all around the
world every year.
533
00:46:43,835 --> 00:46:46,493
This place of tragedy
became a legend.
534
00:46:46,527 --> 00:46:49,807
It is popular among
photographers and authors.
535
00:46:49,841 --> 00:46:53,707
It is also featured in
movies and video games.
536
00:46:53,741 --> 00:46:55,157
Even the illegal visitors
537
00:46:55,191 --> 00:46:58,367
began to sneak into
the no-go zone.
538
00:46:58,401 --> 00:46:59,851
Hunters and explorers
539
00:46:59,886 --> 00:47:02,336
who were looking for
an adrenaline rush
540
00:47:02,371 --> 00:47:05,512
or hoping to find scary
scenes and objects
541
00:47:05,546 --> 00:47:08,653
still enter the sites that
are strictly prohibited.
542
00:47:09,827 --> 00:47:11,276
It is said that
the town will fall
543
00:47:11,311 --> 00:47:15,522
completely into ruin on its
own in the next 20 years.
544
00:47:15,556 --> 00:47:18,180
The city that was
once so full of life,
545
00:47:18,214 --> 00:47:20,768
only left eerie memories.
546
00:47:20,803 --> 00:47:24,082
The city that once
represented hope and triumph
547
00:47:24,117 --> 00:47:27,637
represents today,
destruction and defeat.
548
00:47:29,087 --> 00:47:33,574
Pripyat was removed from the
maps. It became a dead city.
549
00:47:34,161 --> 00:47:35,611
However today,
550
00:47:35,645 --> 00:47:38,338
it seems that nature has started
to come back to life again.
551
00:47:55,355 --> 00:47:58,530
[lively upbeat music]
552
00:48:03,466 --> 00:48:06,090
The impact on the surrounding
forest and wildlife
553
00:48:06,124 --> 00:48:08,955
also remains an area
of active research.
554
00:48:11,371 --> 00:48:13,960
In the immediate
aftermath of the accident,
555
00:48:13,994 --> 00:48:17,549
an area became known
as the 'red forest'.
556
00:48:17,584 --> 00:48:19,137
The high levels of radiation
557
00:48:19,172 --> 00:48:21,691
colored the pine
trees reddish brown
558
00:48:21,726 --> 00:48:26,041
after absorbing such deadly
high levels of radiation.
559
00:48:26,075 --> 00:48:28,112
It had to be cut down.
560
00:48:29,941 --> 00:48:32,979
The area's still believed to
be the most contaminated land
561
00:48:33,013 --> 00:48:34,463
on the planet.
562
00:48:34,497 --> 00:48:36,637
Land that will take
thousands of years
563
00:48:36,672 --> 00:48:38,018
to become healthy again.
564
00:48:41,539 --> 00:48:45,301
Today, the exclusion
zone is eerily quiet.
565
00:48:45,336 --> 00:48:48,373
But it also appears
full of life.
566
00:48:48,408 --> 00:48:52,170
Mother nature began
to reclaim this place.
567
00:48:52,205 --> 00:48:55,518
The region is filled with a
variety of wildlife and forest
568
00:48:55,553 --> 00:48:57,624
that have thrived and creeped in
569
00:48:57,658 --> 00:48:59,660
without interference
from humans.
570
00:49:00,523 --> 00:49:01,731
Other wild creatures
571
00:49:01,766 --> 00:49:04,010
that the people were so
determined to keep out
572
00:49:04,044 --> 00:49:06,184
started reappearing.
573
00:49:06,219 --> 00:49:08,600
Brown bears were seen
for the first time
574
00:49:08,635 --> 00:49:11,258
after being absent
for over a century.
575
00:49:12,397 --> 00:49:16,470
Wolves, deers, lynx,
beavers, boars, and elks
576
00:49:16,505 --> 00:49:19,059
have been seen to run free
in the dense woodlands
577
00:49:19,094 --> 00:49:21,406
that now surround the
silent power plant.
578
00:49:31,692 --> 00:49:34,454
The man-made disaster
that ruined this place
579
00:49:34,488 --> 00:49:38,423
turned it into a unique
sanctuary for wildlife.
580
00:49:48,882 --> 00:49:51,540
But despite the
dense vegetation,
581
00:49:51,574 --> 00:49:55,406
and even though this could
appear as pristine wilderness,
582
00:49:55,440 --> 00:49:57,063
it is not.
583
00:49:57,097 --> 00:50:01,067
It is still a contaminated
deserted wasteland.
584
00:50:01,101 --> 00:50:03,828
The area has recovered
to some extent,
585
00:50:03,862 --> 00:50:05,968
but is far from
returning to normal.
586
00:50:07,452 --> 00:50:10,248
The animals are
still radioactive.
587
00:50:10,283 --> 00:50:13,044
Yet due to the exclusion
of human activity,
588
00:50:13,079 --> 00:50:15,391
there are a lot
more of them now,
589
00:50:15,426 --> 00:50:17,738
and they are ruling the place.
590
00:50:18,912 --> 00:50:21,708
This is the bittersweet
paradox of this place.
591
00:50:23,399 --> 00:50:25,125
Three decades later,
592
00:50:25,160 --> 00:50:28,922
it is not certain how
radiation still is and will be
593
00:50:28,956 --> 00:50:32,167
affecting wildlife
in the years to come.
594
00:50:32,201 --> 00:50:34,617
But it seems that
nature can triumph;
595
00:50:36,136 --> 00:50:39,001
even when man has done
its best to destroy it.
596
00:50:41,417 --> 00:50:43,868
The Chernobyl power
plant continued operating
597
00:50:43,902 --> 00:50:45,490
after the accident.
598
00:50:45,525 --> 00:50:48,183
More than 10,000
people work there
599
00:50:48,217 --> 00:50:50,357
and appropriate conditions
had to be provided
600
00:50:50,392 --> 00:50:52,808
somewhere near the reactors.
601
00:50:52,842 --> 00:50:55,121
It took the government
about a month to decide
602
00:50:55,155 --> 00:50:57,433
what to do with the
damaged reactor.
603
00:50:58,503 --> 00:51:00,954
On May 20th, 1986,
604
00:51:00,988 --> 00:51:04,130
they finally decided to
conduct a unique project.
605
00:51:04,164 --> 00:51:07,547
It was going to be
hidden and sealed.
606
00:51:07,581 --> 00:51:10,584
An enormous reinforced
concrete and metal structure
607
00:51:10,619 --> 00:51:13,967
was built around the
damaged Unit Four.
608
00:51:14,001 --> 00:51:16,935
The sarcophagus intended
to act as a shield
609
00:51:16,970 --> 00:51:19,283
to contain the radiation.
610
00:51:19,317 --> 00:51:23,080
The giant structures'
construction took seven months.
611
00:51:23,114 --> 00:51:25,220
This was an enormous challenge
612
00:51:25,254 --> 00:51:28,430
where humans could work for
only a few minutes at a time
613
00:51:28,464 --> 00:51:31,226
without receiving a
fatal dose of radiation.
614
00:51:32,399 --> 00:51:33,711
In 1988,
615
00:51:33,745 --> 00:51:35,402
Soviet scientist revealed
616
00:51:35,437 --> 00:51:39,268
that it had only been designed
to last for 20 to 30 years.
617
00:51:40,269 --> 00:51:41,512
The Chernobyl power plant
618
00:51:41,546 --> 00:51:44,860
finally shut down
completely in 2000.
619
00:51:44,894 --> 00:51:48,657
However, the sarcophagus
condition was deteriorating.
620
00:51:48,691 --> 00:51:50,141
It began crumbling down
621
00:51:50,176 --> 00:51:53,282
and at a high probability
of collapsing.
622
00:51:53,317 --> 00:51:57,321
The magma at the reactors
core was still a threat.
623
00:51:57,355 --> 00:52:00,427
The government had to come
up with a replacement.
624
00:52:00,462 --> 00:52:03,016
What remains of the
reactor is now inside
625
00:52:03,050 --> 00:52:06,985
a massive 32,000 ton steel
containment structure
626
00:52:07,020 --> 00:52:09,160
deployed in 2016.
627
00:52:10,644 --> 00:52:14,959
The new safe confinement
began being built in 2010
628
00:52:14,993 --> 00:52:17,272
to cover the first sarcophagus.
629
00:52:17,306 --> 00:52:20,275
At that point it became the
largest land-based object
630
00:52:20,309 --> 00:52:24,727
ever moved by humans,
costing $2.3 billion.
631
00:52:26,281 --> 00:52:30,595
The area is safer, but
still highly radioactive
632
00:52:30,630 --> 00:52:34,944
and will likely remain as
such for up to 20,000 years.
633
00:52:36,705 --> 00:52:38,603
Both Chernobyl and Fukushima
634
00:52:38,638 --> 00:52:41,399
were level seven
nuclear accidents,
635
00:52:41,434 --> 00:52:43,539
but the health
consequences in Japan
636
00:52:43,574 --> 00:52:45,679
were much less severe.
637
00:52:45,714 --> 00:52:47,129
In part,
638
00:52:47,164 --> 00:52:49,959
because there was far more
radiation released at Chernobyl.
639
00:52:49,994 --> 00:52:52,169
And because the
Soviet plant's reactor
640
00:52:52,203 --> 00:52:55,310
was not surrounded by
any containment structure
641
00:52:55,344 --> 00:52:58,485
so radiation escaped freely.
642
00:52:58,520 --> 00:53:02,179
The disaster sparked criticism
of the Soviet government.
643
00:53:02,213 --> 00:53:05,941
It also fueled a global
anti-nuclear movement.
644
00:53:05,975 --> 00:53:07,460
Countries combined their efforts
645
00:53:07,494 --> 00:53:10,290
to fight against such
deadly consequences.
646
00:53:10,325 --> 00:53:11,843
Yet today,
647
00:53:11,878 --> 00:53:15,709
the disaster and its lessons
seem to be fading from memory
648
00:53:15,744 --> 00:53:20,369
but it is still a global
problem and it isn't over yet.
649
00:53:20,404 --> 00:53:23,234
11 RBMK nuclear reactors
650
00:53:23,269 --> 00:53:25,478
are still in use
in the world today.
651
00:53:26,306 --> 00:53:28,791
All of them in Russia.
652
00:53:30,103 --> 00:53:32,933
Although they were all
modified for safety,
653
00:53:32,968 --> 00:53:35,073
experts are still
researching ways
654
00:53:35,108 --> 00:53:37,731
to prevent further
nuclear disasters.
655
00:53:39,285 --> 00:53:41,597
On contrary to public belief,
656
00:53:41,632 --> 00:53:43,772
nuclear energy is
still considered
657
00:53:43,806 --> 00:53:48,121
the safest energy source in
comparison to other fossil fuels
658
00:53:48,155 --> 00:53:51,711
like coal, which is by
far the most dangerous.
659
00:53:52,850 --> 00:53:55,473
But it doesn't come
without a risk.
660
00:53:55,508 --> 00:53:58,373
Renewable energies are still
not talked about enough
661
00:53:58,407 --> 00:53:59,270
in Ukraine.
662
00:54:00,444 --> 00:54:03,516
Chernobyl also led to
an economic fallout.
663
00:54:04,413 --> 00:54:05,966
It has been estimated to cost
664
00:54:06,001 --> 00:54:09,729
around $235 billion in damages.
665
00:54:10,764 --> 00:54:13,042
The politicians were unprepared
666
00:54:13,077 --> 00:54:16,563
and unable to effectively
handle the aftermath.
667
00:54:16,598 --> 00:54:19,635
It undermined faith
in the whole system.
668
00:54:19,670 --> 00:54:21,844
Gorbachev himself
claimed that the accident
669
00:54:21,879 --> 00:54:25,296
was perhaps the real cause
of the Soviet Union collapse.
670
00:54:30,370 --> 00:54:32,786
Chernobyl revealed
the potential dangers
671
00:54:32,821 --> 00:54:37,343
and the true devastating
nature of nuclear energy.
672
00:54:37,377 --> 00:54:40,829
Chernobyl is a lesson
for the present.
673
00:54:40,863 --> 00:54:43,901
It warns us about the challenges
and high consequence risks
674
00:54:43,935 --> 00:54:47,284
of our ever evolving
modern society.
675
00:54:47,318 --> 00:54:49,458
As technology keeps progressing,
676
00:54:49,493 --> 00:54:52,392
it is important that we
assess and manage the risks
677
00:54:52,427 --> 00:54:54,981
that are big in
scale and complexity.
678
00:54:56,293 --> 00:54:59,572
We need to be able to
anticipate a global catastrophe.
679
00:55:00,676 --> 00:55:02,022
Chernobyl was one of the worst
680
00:55:02,057 --> 00:55:05,785
manmade and terrifying
disasters in history.
681
00:55:05,819 --> 00:55:08,615
Tens of thousands
of lives were ruined
682
00:55:08,650 --> 00:55:12,136
and too many people lost
loved ones because of it.
683
00:55:12,170 --> 00:55:14,380
But Chernobyl taught
us more importantly
684
00:55:14,414 --> 00:55:16,692
about the cost of lies
685
00:55:16,727 --> 00:55:18,867
by highlighting the
flaws of the system
686
00:55:18,901 --> 00:55:21,559
that revealed how they
can lead to disaster.
687
00:55:21,594 --> 00:55:23,354
And how the way we
tell information
688
00:55:23,389 --> 00:55:26,253
about what really
happened, can cause harm.
689
00:55:27,393 --> 00:55:29,291
If anything has been learned,
690
00:55:29,326 --> 00:55:31,362
it is that response
to such a disaster
691
00:55:31,397 --> 00:55:36,402
needs to be based on clear
facts, on science, and not fear.
692
00:55:38,231 --> 00:55:42,166
Being transparent in today's
society is a necessity
693
00:55:42,200 --> 00:55:44,271
because the truth
may be elusive,
694
00:55:44,306 --> 00:55:46,826
but consequences
certainly won't.
695
00:55:47,999 --> 00:55:50,347
We're all part of
the same planet.
696
00:55:50,381 --> 00:55:52,383
And when a world
disaster happens,
697
00:55:52,418 --> 00:55:54,281
it's countries and
their populations
698
00:55:54,316 --> 00:55:56,180
deserve to know
what is happening
699
00:55:56,214 --> 00:55:58,769
in order to avoid what
happened at Chernobyl.
700
00:56:00,218 --> 00:56:03,360
Proper knowledge, protocol
and equipment is necessary.
701
00:56:08,399 --> 00:56:10,401
It is also a great reminder
702
00:56:10,436 --> 00:56:13,784
that we must steer future
generations from any risk
703
00:56:13,818 --> 00:56:17,270
of another nuclear apocalypse.
704
00:56:22,309 --> 00:56:27,314
The past cannot be undone,
but we can learn from it.
705
00:56:28,177 --> 00:56:29,627
Chernobyl is a grave reminder
706
00:56:29,662 --> 00:56:33,251
of the power of nuclear
energy in the wrong hands
707
00:56:33,286 --> 00:56:35,771
and the consequences of lies.
708
00:56:36,772 --> 00:56:39,534
[dramatic music]
51905
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