startxref Pretty sure its true, the story of his face being gone came from just before he died while they were questioning him. The miners finished their work ahead of schedule, but by then the molten core had cooled itself. He knew he was going to die but didn't want to. They didnt have a clue. "It was our job," says Oleksiy Ananenko, who was on shift at the time, while the others had been ordered in by their manager. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. A member of staff at the plant from 1982, he became a witness to the immediate aftermath on the morning of 26 April 1986. [4] Toptunov and Akimov received bone marrow transplants in attempt to restore their immune systems. That is how you advance your career and win awards. Who would applaud that?". Chernobyl (TV Mini Series 2019) Sam Troughton as Alexandr Akimov. He wanted to live. This is not a polemic about nuclear power. 0000009438 00000 n [4], In 2008, Akimov was posthumously awarded with the 3rd degree Order For Courage by Viktor Yushchenko, then the President of Ukraine.[5]. August 25, 2022 askans. However, it is about respecting it for what it can do. Ultimately, though, he is happy the show has refocused attention on the disaster and the scale of damage caused. [4] They were found by other workers and taken to the infirmary. He points to a few inaccuracies in the TV portrayal. Ive never heard anything about his face, only his skin blackening and shriveling. Their skin had a bright red colour. He was the third child of Tatiana Petrovna Ignatenko and Ivan Tarasovish Ignatenko. "I saw other colleagues who worked that night. "They took off their clothes, but not like it was shown in the film, not right down to nothing," Mr Breus insists, also pointing out that their role was ultimately not significant to the story. Children are shown playing in the radioactive dust, which falls from the sky like snow. Always nice to see new programs about this :). This is how they decided to portray the Minister of Coal Industry Mikhail Shchadov. Of course, you can criticize the episode for excessive melodrama: Legasov is suddenly partial to Khomyuk, and the miners who stand up to a coal minister recruiting them for the Chernobyl liquidation effort are too theatrical. It is the worst human-induced accident that the Earth has ever seen, to say the least of it. He was entirely black, due to skin necrosis, but I never read anywhere that he had no face left, Jesus Christ he mummified, that sounds horrific. As the rods were being inserted, the graphite tips of the control rods accelerated the reaction, creating neutron flux in the bottom of the core. On April 26th, 1986, at 1:23 am, Alexander Akimov did what he and thousands of other nuclear plant operators have been trained to do. It was important to me that people understood what was happening to these men, because they suffered in terrible ways, Mazin told The Chernobyl Podcast. Everyone stay calm. Press J to jump to the feed. Is there any truth or is it all here say? ProtectedbyreCAPTCHAandtheGoogle Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. "A big cup, vodka, KGB everywhere.". AKIMOV . At 1:23 AM, the reactors power levels surged, and the events that followed led to an explosion which released more than 50 tons of radioactive material into the atmosphere.[1]. Someone posted here and I have seen another parts of this footage where Akimov uses something like a microphone [the white microphone like thing they use in the control room, forgive me but i have no clue what it's called]. Sometimes absence of evidence is compelling evidence of absence. Because its so big! I always wonder why toptinov called him sasha? The turbine was shut down. endstream endobj 22 0 obj<> endobj 23 0 obj<>/Encoding<>>>>> endobj 24 0 obj<> endobj 25 0 obj<>/Font<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageC]>> endobj 26 0 obj<>stream Warning: This story contains plot details from the miniseries. For instance if someone's face melted off or someone's eyes changed color, the details absolutely would have showed up in the many academic articles and books written about ARS in Chernobyl victims. 0000017865 00000 n Leonid Fedorovych Toptunov ( Ukrainian: , Russian: ; 16 August 1960 - 14 May 1986) was a Soviet engineer who was the senior reactor control chief engineer at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant Reactor Unit 4 on the night of the Chernobyl disaster . I think you mean Aleksandr Akimov at Chernobyl, who was the shift supervisor on the night of the disaster. He and his colleagues who died from ARS suffered a prolonged and agonising death as the very chromosomes of their bodies were destroyed and organ failure escalated." The bones of your body, he says, "decompose as you become a seeping, foul smelling soup of human material". Witnesses reported he dried, or his body was mummified alive. "There are many stereotypes shown, typical of Western portrayal of the Soviet Union," argues Oleksiy Breus. 1156/2008 of 12 December 2008", https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/en/1156/2008/sp:max100, Shift supervisor of Night shift at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. 0000010565 00000 n The third episode of Chernobyl is a conversation about causes and consequences. I don't understand why it happened. Akimov eventually succumbed to acute radiation syndrome two weeks after the disaster at the age of 33. 0000001006 00000 n Pilot Alexander Petrov, who responded to the scene, recalled, It took us more than 24 hours to get things going. In the series, Pripyat residents rush to a railway bridge for a better view of the fire, unaware of the exposure. There was a comment on a post about him. Nah Im good. Only a Second World War survivor can imagine a similar scene.[4]. Also, emotions and mood at that time are shown quite precisely, both among the personnel and the authorities. Toptunov had literally turned white.". Shift leader Borys Baranov died in 2005, while Valery Bespalov and Oleksiy Ananenko, both chief engineers of one of the reactor sections, are still alive and live in the capital, Kiev. Aleksandr Akimov and Leonid Toptunov did their best at saving the situation. )EBiz0xCBM7.q \T:vWM3@M1my0R(;-owTH|B0 8o%;'A~,6rCBU+3gZ/7kzXjUD%o|M\? In the end, however, the showrunners abandoned the idea of a flashback, to avoid disrupting the storys rhythm and to steer clear of armchair psychology. The episode also cut a scene showing May Day parades that went ahead in cities across Ukraine, despite Chernobyls spreading radiation. "The miners are shown as tough guys who are not afraid of anything, but not the power plant workers.". After two episodes, with the initial fire extinguished and early panic beginning to subside, the focus shifts to questions about why the reactor exploded and who was responsible for the disaster. How would I find another job after that?". Most of the liquidators were military reserves, and the army did not have enough uniforms suitable for working in radioactive conditions. There is a myth that no life can survive in Chernobyl, which is simply not true. At least 5,000 people were badly affected at the time, while women who were pregnant were simply told to have abortions. Firefighters sent from neighbouring Pripyat did not know of any radiation exposure and Ignatenko died of acute radiation syndrome on 13 May 1986. It took 3.5 hours to evacuate. Yes, i thought the same about Razim Davletbayev. Their faces were only partially covered by respirators, so they could speak to each other, they were not offered a reward, and they were not clapped on their successful return. Akimov was the one who declared an emergency after shutting down the reactor - but it was already too late. A Soviet machine made to cut apples into four pieces!) to hospital beds and zinc-lined coffins. Just found this on Sky. [4] During the accident, he was exposed to a fatal radiation dose of 1300rem. When the operators pushed the red button, the reactor didn't stop but exploded.". There are many charities that support facilities which help babies who were born with severe birth defects, including neurological difficulties and heart conditions. More than 500,000 residents in Ukraine were ultimately forced to leave their homes. 0000001208 00000 n By Rod Adams April 1, 1996. Everyone who worked to restore coolant flow would have suffered greatly from leg burns, because they were standing in the water. In 2014, Michael Donnelly, chairman of Chernobyl Childrens Appeal, said, These children are forced to suffer through no fault of their own. He had health problems afterwards.". Originally, robots from West Germany, Japan, and Russia were used to help clean the debris, but they could not operate due to the high levels of radiation. 0000006239 00000 n Belarus shares a border with Ukraine, and the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant is quite close to said border; in 2010, UNICEF reported that 20 percent of adolescents in Belarus suffer from chronic illnesses or disabilities caused by birth defects. The scene where Dr. Khomyuk is jailed by the KGB was filmed in Vilnius at a real former KGB prison. 4 to evaluate radiation levels. Akimov-- are we cooling the reactor core? Radioecologist Sergey Gaschak explained, Animals dont seem to sense radiation and will occupy an area regardless of the radiation condition.[10]. Ultimately, though, he is happy the show has refocused attention on the disaster and the scale of damage caused. Later in May, the Russian first deputy health minister also issued a warning that vodka and red wine were not a cure for radiation exposuredespite popular belief. "A big cup, vodka, KGB everywhere.". The city held its annual May Day parades as the government assured citizens everything was normal. Alexander Akimov is the one who had control over reactor number 4 at the night of the explosion, but whether he is the one to be held responsible remains an open question. It kills you slowly, and it kills you in an excruciating manner. When the reactor has been put into a poisoned condition, they tried to raise the power at whatever the cost. Aleksandr Fyodorovich Akimov and Leonid Fedorovych Toptunov "In my opinion, [Aleksandr Akimov and Leonid Toptunov] are the most tragic figures from the Chernobyl personnel. Aleksandr Fyodorovich Akimov ( Russian: ; 6 May 1953 - 11 May 1986) was a Soviet engineer who was the supervisor of the shift that worked at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant Reactor Unit 4 on the night of the Chernobyl disaster, 26 April 1986. 4 reactor at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine. I can guarantee that nothing other than necrosis of the skin took place. In 2008, Akimov was posthumously awarded with what they called the 3rd degree Order for Courage. "I've never heard there was a crowd of people who went to watch the fire at night," he says. He would try and stand up and walk around, but this resulted in the "skin on his legs falling off like socks". Later this perception changed.". Withdrawing a dangerous number of control rods, the operators could only reach 200 MW due to xenon poisoning. The dogs are tagged and their radiation exposure studied. Can either be found at house parties telling everyone Charles Manson was only 52 or at home reading true crime magazines. Jamie founded Listverse due to an insatiable desire to share fascinating, obscure, and bizarre facts. I also heard that his otopsy file is closed to the public and is only accessible with specific permission. Although it has been more than three decades since the Chernobyl disaster, there are many still suffering the consequences today. Meduza shares its thoughts about the shows latest installment, Open Wide, O Earth, and looks at some of the showrunners editing decisions. In April 1986, an explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics becomes one of the world's worst man-made catastrophes. I will start a new life. Some of the events he witnessed that morning were realistically depicted in the show, he says, but others he describes as fiction. He was the one who refused to continue with the test. He has been a guest speaker on numerous national radio and television stations and is a five time published author. Thank you! "I saw the damage at reactor No. Hours after the explosion, helicopters were flown over Reactor No. Dr. Robert Peter Gale, known as the Chernobyl Doctor, was one of the many physicians and scientists brought in from 15 nations to help with the aftermath of the disaster. Miners were brought in to dig a tunnel under the reactor to create a space for a heat exchanger, to stop the molten core melting through the concrete pad and contaminating the groundwater, threatening millions of lives. Although he could walk, his parents could see he had strange skin damage. moustache is a struggling, wispy version of Akimov's. TOPTUNOV No, that's not--Akimov signals Toptunov not to argue. Identical. They are also used for research on diseases including rabies. "There are many stereotypes shown, typical of Western portrayal of the Soviet Union," argues Oleksiy Breus. "The Chernobyl catastrophe is depicted in a very powerful way, as a global catastrophe that absorbed huge numbers of people. The The judges of the show trial claim one year later: The engineers are at fault who started operation of the reactor in 1983, despite not all safety tests having been passed. Nowadays, an old sarcophagus covers the damaged fourth reactor at the nuclear power plant, and the New Safe Confinement (NSC) structure sits above that. Founder of Crime Viral community since 2015. There have been reports that the skin on his legs fell off like a sock when trying to stand. On May 21, the American premium cable network HBO aired the third episode of Chernobyl, a new miniseries about the catastrophic nuclear accident in April 1986 that rocked the Soviet Union. "When he was present at the block, it created tension for everyone. VideoRussian minister laughed at for Ukraine war claims, The children left behind in Cuba's mass exodus, Xi Jinping's power grab - and why it matters, Snow, Fire and Lights: Photos of the Week. Months after the Chernobyl disaster, the radioactivity had spread to Galsjo Forest in Sweden. It's not just a local interest, for a small group of people, but it is still worldwide. The interviewer said he has no face. Yes, i thought the same about Razim Davletbayev. Mr Breus worked with many of the individuals portrayed and has given his verdict of the series. "If I didn't do it, they could just fire me. For example, Mazin says the showrunners deliberately outfitted the divers at the beginning of the episode with authentic Dynamo wind-up flashlights, using the wonderful noise they emit to create the scenes atmosphere. Before he was gone, he told about the test proceedings. In this article, we will tell you about the supervisor of the shift, Aleksandr Akimov, and his role in the accident. Two more workers died because of injuries. That night was important because the system tests were taking place. He was exposed to a lethal dose of radiation and died two weeks after the explosion. [5], In 2008, Toptunov was posthumously awarded with the 3rd degree Order For Courage by Viktor Yushchenko, then the President of Ukraine.[6]. . Akimov was exposed during his work to a lethal dose of 15 Gy of radiation. This further increase in power caused the reactor to explode. 4. Release Calendar Top 250 Movies Most Popular Movies Browse Movies by Genre Top Box Office Showtimes & Tickets Movie News India Movie Spotlight. Who is the man on the time stamp on 9:20? Two more workers died because of injuries. His burnt lungs hardly let him breathe, his intestines have decomposed, excrements mixed with blood are oozing from his body. They pumped water into the reactor core, which was the right thing to do at the moment but the wrong thing to do in a long run. Undeservedly condemned, professionally slandered. Judge Raimond Brize declared in the courtroom, There was an atmosphere of lack of control and lack of responsibility at the plant. The plant officials were also heavily criticized for not evacuating the town of Pripyat sooner. At first, our commanders didnt know what to do. .] Sputnik/RIA Vasily Ignatenko was 25 years old when he died of radiation. Unknown to Akimov, during his work he was exposed to a lethal dose of radiation that was later determined to be 15 Gy. At 9:25 time mark, do you think it might be Khodemchuk? Two weeks have passed since the explosion as Akimov's suffering is ends. ", Most of the firefighters were pouring water on the damaged reactor, he says. What's the least amount of exercise we can get away with? 4. "It was just our work. ", "Possibly, Anatoly Dyatlov became the main anti-hero in the show because that was how he was perceived by the power plant's workers, his subordinates and top-management, in the beginning. The Chernobyl disaster is one of the most famous nuclear catastrophes in the world, but not many people know that if it hadn't been for one man, the damage would have been much worse. %%EOF There were little slots for food and such, but then there were some grimmer rooms. 0000011604 00000 n It would have eventually boiled . [11] They were found guilty of gross violation of safety regulations which led to an explosion. It's not just a local interest, for a small group of people, but it is still worldwide. He wanted a promotion which was promised to him in case of a successful test. Mr Breus says the series creators showed the radiation effects on the human body well. Once more his temperature increases and then he falls into coma. Dyatlov ordered Toptunov and Akimov to raise the power to the requisite 700 MW. "Another friend treated at the same time said he had a date with his girlfriend close to the bridge that night. 0000001084 00000 n "However, the technological aspects have some discrepancies which may not exactly [be] lies, but merely fiction," he adds. ", he asks the one in the neighbouring bed, "We only pressed the shutdown button!" Underreported stories. Experts were unable to make an exact reading, as 200 meters (656 ft) above the reactor, radiation levels had reached 1,500 rems, but the counters were not capable of reading any higher than 500 rems. "It was just our work. Vasily Ignatenko, depicted in the series, was among the first firefighters sent to tackle the blaze. 6 in Moscow, where Alexander Akomv is suffering towards death. As the fire department arrives on-site and begins dealing with the titanic blaze, Vasily's colleague, Misha notices a lump of the same black mineral that Dyatlov noticed earlier. 0000014730 00000 n The locals thought they would later be returning to their homes, but this was never the case. In the series, Pripyat residents rush to a railway bridge for a better view of the fire, unaware of the exposure. When confronted with confusing reactor indications, he initiated an emergency shutdown of Unit 4 of the large electricity . The body of one of them, Valery Khodemchuk, was never recovered from the reactor debris. Despite the change in tone, Chernobyl still knows how to terrify its audience, and Emily Watsons performance as Ulana Khomyuk, the nuclear scientist who visits men dying of radiation poisoning, gets under your skin even more than scenes of engineer Leonid Toptunovs bloody hospital bed sheets. At conservative gathering, Trump is still the favourite. During the evening of April 25, engineers made several fatal mistakes, including disconnecting Reactor No. But I have to ask about his legs. However, the deputy chief engineer of the power plant Anatoly Dyatlov ordered to proceed with the tests. Video, Russian minister laughed at for Ukraine war claims, Chernobyl mini-series review: 'It stops you sleeping', Chernobyl disaster: 'I didn't know the truth', Craig Mazin maintains that Dyatlov in particular was a "real bully", The people who moved to the Chernobyl exclusion zone, US-made cheese can be called 'gruyere' - court, AOC under investigation for Met Gala dress, Saving Private Ryan actor Tom Sizemore dies at 61, The children left behind in Cuba's exodus, Walkie Talkie architect Rafael Violy dies aged 78, Alex Murdaugh's legal troubles are far from over, Mother who killed her five children euthanised. They were very pale. Alexander Akimov was the head of the night shift that worked at reactor number 4 on the night of the accident. Warning: This story contains plot details from the miniseries. BBC Ukrainian Hours after the world's worst nuclear accident, engineer Oleksiy Breus entered the control room of the No. {$[sz HqCUF3W){8HPA|]+\ Y,*6mw1(,>6D>(e]7MRWvfW4j}6`rW/G*(' !S%B=V>npH wp"2N?)JeXiPC`;\BUc |)g}hUtS1' a$)ELOrIB/0vgkmE^)wqHwB4:^ Unfortunately, the first five years after the accident, the details were kept secret, but now the scientists and activists have the access to archives. See a comparison with a very old photo of Stolyarchuk: https://bit.ly/3wBuX2S Pay attention to the "indentation" of the line of his moustache on the right side of the face. The actor playing Alexander Akimov, for instance, was never even put in makeup to depict the loss of his face. What are you thinking? The village of Kopachi lies 7 kilometers (4.3 mi) from the site of the Chernobyl disaster. The reactor was already in a run-away state. Aleksandr Akimov was born on 6 May 1953 in Novosibirsk, Russian SFSR (Republic of the Soviet Union). The School in Sperizh'e pictured in 2016. There was no smoke or fire, just fumes coming from the damaged part. Continue Reading 6 2 More answers below Michael Karnerfors
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