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The Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant Zone of Alienation,
Belarusian Belarusian may refer to: * Something of, or related to Belarus * Belarusians, people from Belarus, or of Belarusian descent * A citizen of Belarus, see Demographics of Belarus * Belarusian language * Belarusian culture * Belarusian cuisine * Byelor ...
: Хона адчужэння Чарнобыльскай АЭС, ''Zona adčužennia Čarnobyĺskaj AES'', russian: Зона отчуждения Чернобыльской АЭС, translit=Zona otchuzhdeniya Chernobyl'skoy AES is an officially designated exclusion zone around the site of the Chernobyl nuclear reactor disaster. It is also commonly known as the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, the 30-Kilometre Zone, or The Zone.,
Belarusian Belarusian may refer to: * Something of, or related to Belarus * Belarusians, people from Belarus, or of Belarusian descent * A citizen of Belarus, see Demographics of Belarus * Belarusian language * Belarusian culture * Belarusian cuisine * Byelor ...
: Чарнобыльская зона, romanized: ''Charnobyl'skaya zona'', russian: Чернобыльская зона, translit=Chernobyl'skaya zona). Established by the
Soviet Armed Forces The Soviet Armed Forces, the Armed Forces of the Soviet Union and as the Red Army (, Вооружённые Силы Советского Союза), were the armed forces of the Russian SFSR (1917–1922), the Soviet Union (1922–1991), and th ...
soon after the 1986 disaster, it initially existed as an area of radius from the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant designated for evacuation and placed under military control. Its borders have since been altered to cover a larger area of
Ukraine Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian invas ...
. The Chernobyl Exclusion Zone borders a separately administered area, the Polesie State Radioecological Reserve, to the north in
Belarus Belarus,, , ; alternatively and formerly known as Byelorussia (from Russian ). officially the Republic of Belarus,; rus, Республика Беларусь, Respublika Belarus. is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by ...
. The Chernobyl Exclusion Zone is managed by an agency of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, while the power plant and its sarcophagus (and replacement) are administered separately. The Exclusion Zone covers an area of approximately in Ukraine immediately surrounding the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant where
radioactive contamination Radioactive contamination, also called radiological pollution, is the deposition of, or presence of radioactive substances on surfaces or within solids, liquids, or gases (including the human body), where their presence is unintended or undesirab ...
is highest and public access and habitation are restricted. Other areas of compulsory resettlement and voluntary relocation not part of the restricted Exclusion Zone exist in the surrounding areas and throughout Ukraine. In February 2019 it was revealed that talks were underway to redraw the boundaries of the Exclusion Zone to reflect the declining radioactivity of the Zone's outer areas. The Exclusion Zone's purpose is to restrict access to hazardous areas, reduce the spread of radiological contamination, and conduct radiological and ecological monitoring activities. Today, the Exclusion Zone is one of the most radioactively contaminated areas in the world and draws significant scientific interest for the high levels of radiation exposure in the environment, as well as increasing interest from tourists. The zone has become a thriving sanctuary with natural
flora Flora (: floras or florae) is all the plant life present in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring (indigenous (ecology), indigenous) native plant, native plants. The corresponding term for animals is ''fauna'', and for f ...
and
fauna Fauna is all of the animal life present in a particular region or time. The corresponding term for plants is ''flora'', and for fungi, it is '' funga''. Flora, fauna, funga and other forms of life are collectively referred to as ''biota''. Zoo ...
with some of the highest
biodiversity Biodiversity or biological diversity is the variety and variability of life on Earth. Biodiversity is a measure of variation at the genetic ('' genetic variability''), species ('' species diversity''), and ecosystem ('' ecosystem diversity' ...
and thickest forests in all of Ukraine. This is due to the lack of human activity in the Exclusion Zone and is despite the radiation. The Chernobyl Exclusion Zone was the site of fighting between Russian and Ukrainian forces during the Battle of Chernobyl on 24 February 2022, as part of the
Russian invasion of Ukraine On 24 February 2022, in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War, which began in 2014. The invasion has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths on both sides. It has caused Europe's largest refugee crisis since World War II. ...
. Geographically, it includes the northernmost ''
raion A raion (also spelt rayon) is a type of administrative unit of several post-Soviet states. The term is used for both a type of subnational entity and a division of a city. The word is from the French (meaning 'honeycomb, department'), and is co ...
s'' ( districts) of the
Kyiv Kyiv, also spelled Kiev, is the capital and most populous city of Ukraine. It is in north-central Ukraine along the Dnieper, Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2021, its population was 2,962,180, making Kyiv the List of European cities by populat ...
and Zhytomyr
oblast An oblast (; ; Cyrillic (in most languages, including Russian and Ukrainian): , Bulgarian: ) is a type of administrative division of Belarus, Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Ukraine, as well as the Soviet Union and the Kingdom ...
s ( regions) of
Ukraine Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian invas ...
.


History


Before 1986

Historically and geographically, the zone is the heartland of the Polesia region. This predominantly rural woodland and marshland area was once home to 120,000 people living in the cities of Chernobyl and Pripyat as well as 187 smaller communities, but is now mostly uninhabited. All settlements remain designated on geographic maps but marked as () – "uninhabited". The woodland in the area around Pripyat was a focal point of partisan resistance during the
Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
, which allowed evacuated residents to evade guards and return into the woods. In the woodland near the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant stood the 'Partisan's Tree' or 'Cross Tree', which was used to hang captured partisans. The tree fell down due to age in 1996 and a memorial now stands at its location.


Setup of the Exclusion Zone


10-kilometre and 30-kilometre Zones

The Exclusion Zone was established on soon after the Chernobyl disaster, when a Soviet government commission headed by Nikolai Ryzhkov decided on a "rather arbitrary" area of a radius from Reactor 4 as the designated evacuation area. The 30 km Zone was initially divided into three subzones: the area immediately adjacent to Reactor 4, an area of approximately radius from the reactor, and the remaining 30 km zone. Protective clothing and available facilities varied between these subzones. Later in 1986, after updated maps of the contaminated areas were produced, the zone was split into three areas to designate further evacuation areas based on the revised dose limit of 100  mSv. *the "Black Zone" (over 200 µSv·h−1), to which evacuees were never to return *the "Red Zone" (50–200 µSv·h−1), where evacuees might return once radiation levels normalized *the "Blue Zone" (30–50 µSv·h−1), where children and pregnant women were evacuated starting in the summer of 1986 Special permission for access and full military control was put in place in later 1986. Although evacuations were not immediate, 91,200 people were eventually evacuated from these zones. In November 1986, control over activities in the zone was given to the new production association ''Kombinat''. Based in the evacuated city of Chernobyl, the association's responsibility was to operate the power plant, decontaminate the 30 km zone, supply materials and goods to the zone, and construct housing outside the new town of Slavutych for the power plant personnel and their families. In March 1989, a "Safe Living Concept" was created for people living in contaminated zones beyond the Exclusion Zone in Belarus, Ukraine, and Russia. In October 1989, the Soviet government requested assistance from the
International Atomic Energy Agency The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is an intergovernmental organization that seeks to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy and to inhibit its use for any military purpose, including nuclear weapons. It was established in 1 ...
(IAEA) to assess the "Soviet Safe Living Concept" for inhabitants of contaminated areas. "Throughout the Soviet period, an image of containment was partially achieved through selective resettlements and territorial delineations of contaminated zones."


After independence

In February 1991, the law ''On The Legal Status of the Territory Exposed to the Radioactive Contamination resulting from the ChNPP Accident'' was passed, updating the borders of the Exclusion Zone and defining obligatory and voluntary resettlement areas, and areas for enhanced monitoring. The borders were based on soil deposits of strontium-90, caesium-137, and
plutonium Plutonium is a radioactive chemical element with the symbol Pu and atomic number 94. It is an actinide metal of silvery-gray appearance that tarnishes when exposed to air, and forms a dull coating when oxidized. The element normally exhib ...
as well as the calculated dose rate (sieverts/h) as identified by the
National Commission for Radiation Protection of Ukraine The National Commission for Radiation Protection of Ukraine ''(NCRPU)'' is a permanent independent collegial supreme scientific expert advisory and consultative body to the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian parliament) on matters of radiation protection ...
. Responsibility for monitoring and coordination of activities in the Exclusion Zone was given to the Ministry of Chernobyl Affairs. In-depth studies were conducted from 1992–93, culminating the updating of the 1991 law followed by further evacuations from the Polesia area. A number of evacuation zones were determined: the "Exclusion Zone", the "Zone of Absolute (Mandatory) Resettlement", and the "Zone of Guaranteed Voluntary Resettlement", as well as many areas throughout Ukraine designated as areas for radiation monitoring. The evacuation of contaminated areas outside of the Exclusion Zone continued in both the compulsory and voluntary resettlement areas, with 53,000 people evacuated from areas in Ukraine from 1990 to 1995. After Ukrainian Independence, funding for the policing and protection of the zone was initially limited, resulting in even further settling by '' samosely'' (returnees) and other illegal intrusion. In 1997, the areas of Poliske and
Narodychi Narodychi ( uk, Народичі) is an urban-type settlement in Korosten Raion, Zhytomyr Oblast, northern Ukraine. It was the administrative center of the former Narodychi Raion, and after the reform in 2020, the city became part of the Korost ...
, which had been evacuated, were added to the existing area of the Exclusion Zone, and the zone now encompasses the exclusion zone and parts of the zone of Absolute (Mandatory) Resettlement of an area of approximately . This Zone was placed under management of the 'Administration of the exclusion zone and the zone of absolute (mandatory) resettlement' within the Ministry of Emergencies. On 15 December 2000, all nuclear power production at the power plant ceased after an official ceremony with then-President Leonid Kuchma when the last remaining operational reactor, number 3, was shut down.


2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine

The Chernobyl Exclusion Zone was the site of fighting between Russian and Ukrainian forces during the Battle of Chernobyl on 24 February 2022, as part of the
Russian invasion of Ukraine On 24 February 2022, in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War, which began in 2014. The invasion has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths on both sides. It has caused Europe's largest refugee crisis since World War II. ...
. Russian forces reportedly captured the plant the same day. Facilities at Chernobyl still require ongoing management, in part to ensure the continued cooling of spent nuclear fuel. An estimated 100 plant workers and 200 Ukrainian guards who were at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant when the Russians arrived had been unable to leave. Normally they would change shifts daily and would not live at the site. They had limited supplies of medication, food, and electricity. According to Ukrainian reports, the radiation levels in the exclusion zone increased after the invasion. The higher levels are believed to be a result of disturbance of radioactive dust by the military activity or possibly incorrect readings caused by cyberattacks. On 10 March, the
International Atomic Energy Agency The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is an intergovernmental organization that seeks to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy and to inhibit its use for any military purpose, including nuclear weapons. It was established in 1 ...
stated that it had lost all contact with Chernobyl. On 22 March, the Ukrainian state agency responsible for the Chernobyl exclusion zone reported that Russian forces had destroyed a new laboratory at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. The laboratory, which opened in 2015, worked to improve the management of radioactive waste, among other things. "The laboratory contained highly active samples and samples of radionuclides that are now in the hands of the enemy, which we hope will harm itself and not the civilized world", the agency said in its statement. On 27 March, Lyudmila Denisova, the Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights, said that 31 known individual fires covering 10,000 hectares were burning in the zone. These fires caused "...an increased level of radioactive air pollution", according to Denisova. Firefighters were unable to reach the fires due to the Russian forces in the area. These wildfires are seasonal; one fire that was 11,500 hectares in size took place in 2020, and a series of several smaller fires occurred throughout the 2010s. On 31 March, it was reported that most of the Russian troops occupying Chernobyl withdrew. An Exclusion Zone employee made a post on Facebook suggesting that Russian troops were suffering from acute radiation sickness, based on a photo of military buses unloading near a radiation hospital in Belarus.Dozens of Russian troops ‘fall ill with radiation poisoning’ at Chernobyl
/ref>Russian Troops Suffer ‘Acute Radiation Sickness’ After Digging Chernobyl Trenches
/ref> Chernobyl operator
Enerhoatom State Enterprise National Nuclear Energy Generating Company "Energoatom" (SE NNEGC "Energoatom") is a state enterprise operating all four nuclear power plants in Ukraine ( Zaporizhzhia NPP, Rivne NPP, South Ukraine NPP, and Khmelnytskyi NPP). ...
claimed that Russian troops had dug trenches in the most contaminated part of the Chernobyl exclusion zone, receiving "significant doses" of radiation. ''
BBC News BBC News is an operational business division of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs in the UK and around the world. The department is the world's largest broad ...
'' reported unconfirmed reports that some were being treated in
Belarus Belarus,, , ; alternatively and formerly known as Byelorussia (from Russian ). officially the Republic of Belarus,; rus, Республика Беларусь, Respublika Belarus. is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by ...
.Ukraine war: Russian troops leave Chernobyl, Ukraine says
BBC News BBC News is an operational business division of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs in the UK and around the world. The department is the world's largest broad ...
(1 April 2022)
On 3 April, Ukrainian forces retook the Chernobyl power plant.


Population

The 30-kilometre zone is estimated to be home to 197 '' samosely'' living in 11 villages as well as in the town of Chernobyl. This number is in decline, down from previous estimates of 314 in 2007 and 1,200 in 1986. These residents are senior citizens, with an average age of 63. After repeated attempts at expulsion, the authorities have accepted their presence and allowed them to stay with limited supporting services. Residence is now informally permitted by the Ukrainian government. Approximately 3,000 people work in the Zone of Alienation on various tasks, such as the construction of the New Safe Confinement, the ongoing decommissioning of the reactors, and assessment and monitoring of the conditions in the zone. Employees do not live inside the zone, but work shifts there. Some of the workers work "4-3" shifts (four days on, three days off), while others work 15 days on and 15 days off. Other workers commute into the zone daily from Slavutych. The duration of shifts is counted strictly for reasons involving pension and healthcare. Everyone employed in the Zone is monitored for internal
bioaccumulation Bioaccumulation is the gradual accumulation of substances, such as pesticides or other chemicals, in an organism. Bioaccumulation occurs when an organism absorbs a substance at a rate faster than that at which the substance is lost or eliminated ...
of radioactive elements. Chernobyl town, located outside of the 10 kilometre Exclusion Zone, was evacuated following the accident, but now serves as a base to support the workers within the Exclusion Zone. Its amenities include administrative buildings, general stores, a canteen, a hotel, and a bus station. Unlike other areas within the Exclusion Zone, Chernobyl town is actively maintained by workers, such as lawn areas being mowed and autumn leaves being collected.


Access and tourism

There have been growing numbers of visitors to the Exclusion Zone each year, and there are now daily trips from
Kyiv Kyiv, also spelled Kiev, is the capital and most populous city of Ukraine. It is in north-central Ukraine along the Dnieper, Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2021, its population was 2,962,180, making Kyiv the List of European cities by populat ...
offered by multiple companies. In addition, multiple-day excursions can be easily arranged with Ukrainian
tour operator A tour operator is a business that typically combines and organizes accommodations, meals, sightseeing and transportation components, in order to create a package tour. They advertise and produce brochures to promote their products, holidays ...
s. Most overnight tourists stay in a hotel within the town of Chernobyl, which is located within the Exclusion Zone. According to an exclusion area tour guide, as of 2017, there are approximately 50 licensed exclusion area tour guides in total, working for approximately nine companies. Visitors must present their passports when entering the Exclusion Zone and are screened for radiation when exiting, both at the 10 km checkpoint and at the 30 km checkpoint. The Exclusion Zone can also be entered if an application is made directly to the zone administration department. Some evacuated residents of Pripyat have established a remembrance tradition, which includes annual visits to former homes and schools. In the Chernobyl zone, there is one operating Eastern Orthodox Christian church, St. Elijah Church. According to Chernobyl disaster liquidators, the radiation levels there are "well below the level across the zone", a fact that president of the Ukrainian Chernobyl Union Yury Andreyev considers miraculous. The Chernobyl Exclusion Zone has been accessible to interested parties such as scientists and journalists since the zone was created. An early example was Elena Filatova's online account of her alleged solo bike ride through the zone. This gained her Internet fame, but was later alleged to be fictional, as a guide claimed Filatova was part of an official tour group. Regardless, her story drew the attention of millions to the nuclear catastrophe. After Filatova's visit in 2004, a number of papers such as ''
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper A newspaper is a periodical publication containing written information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray background. Newspapers can cover a wide ...
'' and ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'' began to produce reports on tours to the zone. Tourism to the area became more common after Pripyat was featured in popular video games '' S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl'' and '' Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare''. Fans of the ''S.T.A.L.K.E.R.'' franchise, who refer to themselves as "stalkers", often gain access to the Zone. ("The Zone" and "stalker" derive from Arkady and Boris Strugatsky's
science fiction Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imagination, imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, Paral ...
novel '' Roadside Picnic'', which preceded the accident but which described the evacuation of part of Russia after the appearance of dangerous alien artifacts. It served as the basis for the classic film '' Stalker''.) Prosecution of trespassers became more severe after a significant increase in trespassing in the Exclusion Zone. An article in the penal code of Ukraine was specially introduced, and horse patrols were added to protect the zone's perimeter. In 2012, journalist Andrew Blackwell published ''Visit Sunny Chernobyl: And Other Adventures in the World's Most Polluted Places''. Blackwell recounts his visit to the Exclusion Zone, when a guide and driver took him through the zone and to the reactor site. On 14 April 2013, the 32nd episode of the wildlife documentary TV program '' River Monsters'' (''Atomic Assassin'', Season 5, Episode 1) was broadcast, featuring the host Jeremy Wade catching a wels catfish in the cooling pools of the Chernobyl power plant at the heart of the Exclusion Zone. On 16 February 2014, an episode of the British motoring TV programme ''Top Gear'' was broadcast, featuring two of the presenters, Jeremy Clarkson and James May, driving into the Exclusion Zone. A portion of the finale of the
Netflix Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a ...
documentary '' Our Planet'', released in 2019, was filmed in the Exclusion Zone. The area was used as the primary example of how quickly an ecosystem can recover and thrive in the absence of human interference. In 2019, Chernobyl Spirit Company released Atomik Vodka, the first consumer product made from materials grown and cultivated in the exclusion zone.


Illegal activities

The poaching of game, illegal logging, and metal salvage have been problems within the zone. Despite police control, intruders started infiltrating the perimeter to remove potentially contaminated materials, from televisions to toilet seats, especially in Pripyat, where the residents of about 30 high-rise apartment buildings had to leave all of their belongings behind. In 2007, the Ukrainian government adopted more severe criminal and administrative penalties for illegal activities in the alienation zone, as well as reinforced units assigned to these tasks. The population of Przewalski's horse, introduced to the Exclusion Zone in 1998, has reportedly fallen since 2005 due to poaching.


Management of the Zone


Administration

In April 2011, th
State Agency of Ukraine on the Exclusion Zone Management
(SAUEZM) became the successor to the State Department – Administration of the exclusion zone and the zone of absolute (mandatory) resettlement according to presidential decree. The SAUEZM is, as its predecessor, an agency within the State Emergency Service of Ukraine. Policing of the Zone is conducted by special units of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine and, along the border with Belarus, by the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine. The SAUEZM is tasked with: # Conducting environmental and radioactivity monitoring in the zone # Management of long-term storage and disposal of radioactive waste # Leasing of land in the exclusion zone and the zone of absolute—mandatory—resettlement # Administering of state funds for radioactive waste management # Monitoring and preservation of documentation on the subject of radioactivity # Coordination of the decommissioning of the nuclear power plant # Maintenance of a register of persons who have suffered as a result of the disaster The Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant is located inside the zone, but is administered separately. Plant personnel, 3,800 workers , reside primarily in Slavutych, a specially-built remote city in
Kyiv Oblast Kyiv Oblast ( uk, Ки́ївська о́бласть, translit=Kyïvska oblast), also called Kyivshchyna ( uk, Ки́ївщина), is an oblast (province) in central and northern Ukraine. It surrounds, but does not include, the city of Kyiv, w ...
outside of the Exclusion Zone, east of the accident site.


Checkpoints

There are 11 checkpoints. * Dytiatky, near the village of
Dytyatky Dytiatky ( uk, Дитятки, russian: Дитятки, also spelled Dytyatky or Dityatki) is a Ukraine, Ukrainian village in Vyshhorod Raion, Kyiv Oblast. It belongs to Ivankiv settlement hromada, one of the hromadas of Ukraine. As of 2001, Dy ...
* Stari Sokoly, near the village of Stari Sokoly * Zelenyi Mys, near the village of Strakholissia * Poliske, near the village of Chervona Zirka * Ovruch, near the village of Davydky * Vilcha, near the village of Vilkhova * Dibrova, near the village of Fedorivka * Benivka, near the city of Pripyat * The city of Pripyat itself * Leliv, near the city of Chernobyl * Paryshiv, between the city of Chernobyl and the border with Belarus (route P56)


Development and recovery projects

The Chernobyl Exclusion Zone is an environmental recovery area, with efforts devoted to remediation and safeguarding of the reactor site. At the same time, projects for wider economic and social revival of the territories around the disaster zone have been envisioned or implemented. In November 2007, the
United Nations General Assembly The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA or GA; french: link=no, Assemblée générale, AG) is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations (UN), serving as the main deliberative, policymaking, and representative organ of the UN. Cur ...
adopted a resolution calling for "recovery and sustainable development" of the areas affected by the Chernobyl accident. Commenting on the issue, UN Development Programme officials mentioned the plans to achieve "self-reliance" of the local population, "agriculture revival" and development of
ecotourism Ecotourism is a form of tourism involving responsible travel (using sustainable transport) to natural areas, conserving the environment, and improving the well-being of the local people. Its purpose may be to educate the traveler, to provide fund ...
. However, it is not clear whether such plans, made by the UN and Yushchenko, deal with the ''zone of alienation'' proper, or only with the other three zones around the disaster site where contamination is less intense and restrictions on the population are looser (such as the district of
Narodychi Narodychi ( uk, Народичі) is an urban-type settlement in Korosten Raion, Zhytomyr Oblast, northern Ukraine. It was the administrative center of the former Narodychi Raion, and after the reform in 2020, the city became part of the Korost ...
in
Zhytomyrska Oblast Zhytomyr Oblast ( uk, Жито́мирська о́бласть, translit=Zhytomyrska oblast), also referred to as Zhytomyrshchyna ( uk, Жито́мирщина}) is an oblast (province) of northern Ukraine. The administrative center of the obla ...
). Since 2011, tour operators have been bringing tourists inside the Exclusion Zone (illegal tours may have started even before). Tourists are accompanied by tour guides at all times and are not able to wander too far on their own due to the presence of several radioactive "hot spots". Pripyat was deemed safe for tourists to visit for a short period of time in the late 2010s, although certain precautions must be taken. In 2016, the Ukrainian government declared the part of the exclusion zone on its territory the Chernobyl Radiation and Environmental Biosphere Reserve. It was reported in 2016 that "A heavily contaminated area within a 10-kilometer radius" of the plant would be used for the storage of nuclear waste. The IAEA carried out a feasibility study in 2018 to assess the prospect of expanding the local waste management infrastructure. In 2017, three companies were reported developing plans for solar farms within the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. The high feed-in tariffs offered, the availability of land, and easy access to transmission lines (which formerly ran to the nuclear power station) have all been noted as beneficial to siting a solar farming. The solar plant began operations in October 2018. In 2019, following a three-year research project into the transfer of radioactivity to crops grown in the exclusion zone conducted by scientists from UK and Ukrainian universities, one bottle of vodka using grain from the zone was produced. The vodka did not contain abnormal levels of radiation because of the distillation process. The researchers consider the production of vodka, and its sales profits, a means to aid economic recovery of the communities most adversely affected by the disaster.


Radioactive contamination

The territory of the zone is polluted unevenly. Spots of hyperintensive pollution were created first by wind and rain spreading radioactive dust at the time of the accident, and subsequently by numerous burial sites for various material and equipment used in decontamination. Zone authorities pay attention to protecting such spots from tourists, scrap hunters, and wildfires, but admit that some dangerous burial sites remain unmapped, and only recorded in the memories of the (aging)
Chernobyl liquidators Chernobyl liquidators were the civil and military personnel who were called upon to deal with the consequences of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster in the Soviet Union on the site of the event. The liquidators are widely credited with limit ...
.


Flora and fauna

There has been an ongoing scientific debate about the extent to which
flora Flora (: floras or florae) is all the plant life present in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring (indigenous (ecology), indigenous) native plant, native plants. The corresponding term for animals is ''fauna'', and for f ...
and
fauna Fauna is all of the animal life present in a particular region or time. The corresponding term for plants is ''flora'', and for fungi, it is '' funga''. Flora, fauna, funga and other forms of life are collectively referred to as ''biota''. Zoo ...
of the zone were affected by the radioactive contamination that followed the accident. As noted by Baker and Wickliffe, one of many issues is differentiating between negative effects of Chernobyl radiation and effects of changes in farming activities resulting from human evacuation. Near the facility, a dense cloud of radioactive dust killed off a large area of
Scots pine ''Pinus sylvestris'', the Scots pine (UK), Scotch pine (US) or Baltic pine, is a species of tree in the pine family Pinaceae that is native to Eurasia. It can readily be identified by its combination of fairly short, blue-green leaves and or ...
trees; the rusty orange color of the dead trees led to the nickname " The Red Forest" (''Рудий ліс''). The Red Forest was among the world's most radioactive places; to reduce the hazard, the Red Forest was bulldozed and the highly radioactive wood was buried, though the soil continues to emit significant radiation. Other species in the same area, such as
birch trees A birch is a thin-leaved deciduous hardwood tree of the genus ''Betula'' (), in the family Betulaceae, which also includes alders, hazels, and hornbeams. It is closely related to the beech-oak family Fagaceae. The genus ''Betula'' contains 3 ...
, survived, indicating that plant species may vary considerably in their sensitivity to radiation. Cases of mutant deformity in animals of the zone include partial
albinism Albinism is the congenital absence of melanin in an animal or plant resulting in white hair, feathers, scales and skin and pink or blue eyes. Individuals with the condition are referred to as albino. Varied use and interpretation of the term ...
and other external malformations in swallows and insect mutations. A study of several hundred birds belonging to 48 different species also demonstrated that birds inhabiting highly radioactively contaminated areas had smaller brains compared to birds from clean areas. A reduction in the density and the abundance of animals in highly radioactively contaminated areas has been reported for several
taxa In biology, a taxon ( back-formation from '' taxonomy''; plural taxa) is a group of one or more populations of an organism or organisms seen by taxonomists to form a unit. Although neither is required, a taxon is usually known by a particular n ...
, including birds, insects, spiders, and mammals. In birds, which are an efficient bioindicator, a negative correlation has been reported between background radiation and bird species richness. Scientists such as Anders Pape Møller ( University of Paris-Sud) and Timothy Mousseau ( University of South Carolina) report that birds and smaller animals such as voles may be particularly affected by radioactivity. Møller is the first author on 9 of the 20 most-cited articles relating to the ecology, evolution and non-human biology in the Chernobyl area. However, some of Møller's research has been criticized as flawed. Prior to his work at Chernobyl, Møller was accused of falsifying data in a 1998 paper about asymmetry in oak leaves, which he retracted in 2001. In 2004, the Danish Committees on Scientific Dishonesty (DCSD) reported that Møller was guilty of "scientific dishonesty". France's Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS) subsequently concluded that there was insufficient evidence to establish either guilt or innocence. Strongly held opinions about Møller and his work have contributed to the difficulty of reaching a scientific consensus on the effects of radiation on wildlife in the Exclusion Zone. More recently, the populations of large mammals have increased due to significant reduction of human interference. The populations of traditional Polesian animals (such as the gray wolf, badger,
wild boar The wild boar (''Sus scrofa''), also known as the wild swine, common wild pig, Eurasian wild pig, or simply wild pig, is a suid native to much of Eurasia and North Africa, and has been introduced to the Americas and Oceania. The species is ...
, roe deer, white-tailed eagle, black stork, western marsh harrier, short-eared owl,
red deer The red deer (''Cervus elaphus'') is one of the largest deer species. A male red deer is called a stag or hart, and a female is called a hind. The red deer inhabits most of Europe, the Caucasus Mountains region, Anatolia, Iran, and parts of wes ...
,
moose The moose (in North America) or elk (in Eurasia) (''Alces alces'') is a member of the New World deer subfamily and is the only species in the genus ''Alces''. It is the largest and heaviest extant species in the deer family. Most adult ma ...
,
great egret The great egret (''Ardea alba''), also known as the common egret, large egret, or (in the Old World) great white egret or great white heron is a large, widely distributed egret. The four subspecies are found in Asia, Africa, the Americas, and ...
, whooper swan, least weasel, common kestrel, and
beaver Beavers are large, semiaquatic rodents in the genus ''Castor'' native to the temperate Northern Hemisphere. There are two extant species: the North American beaver (''Castor canadensis'') and the Eurasian beaver (''C. fiber''). Beavers a ...
) have multiplied enormously and begun expanding outside the zone. The zone is considered as a classic example of an involuntary park. The return of wolves and other animals to the area is being studied by scientists such as Marina Shkvyria (Ukraine's National Academy of Sciences), Sergey Gaschak (Chernobyl Centre in Ukraine), and Jim Beasley ( University of Georgia). Camera traps have been installed and are used to record the presence of species. Studies of wolves, which are concentrated in higher-radiation areas near the center of the exclusion zone, may enable researchers to better assess relationships between radiation levels, animal health, and population dynamics. The area also houses herds of wisent (European bison, native to the area) and Przewalski's horses (foreign to the area, as tarpan was the native wild horse) released there after the accident. Some accounts refer to the reappearance of extremely rare native lynx, and there are videos of brown bears and their cubs, an animal not seen in the area for more than a century. Special game warden units are organized to protect and control them. No scientific study has been conducted on the population dynamics of these species. The rivers and lakes of the zone pose a significant threat of spreading polluted
silt Silt is granular material of a size between sand and clay and composed mostly of broken grains of quartz. Silt may occur as a soil (often mixed with sand or clay) or as sediment mixed in suspension with water. Silt usually has a floury feel wh ...
during spring floods. They are systematically secured by dikes.


Grass and forest fires

It is known that fires can make contamination mobile again. In particular, V.I. Yoschenko ''et al.'' reported on the possibility of increased mobility of
caesium Caesium ( IUPAC spelling) (or cesium in American English) is a chemical element with the symbol Cs and atomic number 55. It is a soft, silvery-golden alkali metal with a melting point of , which makes it one of only five elemental metals that ...
, strontium, and
plutonium Plutonium is a radioactive chemical element with the symbol Pu and atomic number 94. It is an actinide metal of silvery-gray appearance that tarnishes when exposed to air, and forms a dull coating when oxidized. The element normally exhib ...
due to grass and forest fires. As an experiment, fires were set and the levels of the radioactivity in the air downwind of these fires was measured. Grass and forest fires have happened inside the contaminated zone, releasing radioactive fallout into the atmosphere. In 1986, a series of fires destroyed 2,336 ha (5,772 acres) of forest, and several other fires have since burned within the zone. A serious fire in early May 1992 affected 500 ha (1,240 acres) of land, including 270 ha (670 acres) of forest. This resulted in a great increase in the levels of caesium-137 in airborne dust. In 2010, a series of wildfires affected contaminated areas, specifically the surroundings of
Bryansk Bryansk ( rus, Брянск, p=brʲansk) is a city and the administrative center of Bryansk Oblast, Russia, situated on the River Desna, southwest of Moscow. Population: Geography Urban layout The location of the settlement was originally ...
and border regions with
Belarus Belarus,, , ; alternatively and formerly known as Byelorussia (from Russian ). officially the Republic of Belarus,; rus, Республика Беларусь, Respublika Belarus. is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by ...
and
Ukraine Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian invas ...
. The Russian government claimed that there was no discernible increase in radiation levels, while
Greenpeace Greenpeace is an independent global campaigning network, founded in Canada in 1971 by Irving Stowe and Dorothy Stowe, immigrant environmental activists from the United States. Greenpeace states its goal is to "ensure the ability of the Earth ...
accused the government of denial. On 4 April 2020, a fire broke in the Zone on at least 20 hectares of Ukrainian forests. Approximately 90 firefighters were deployed to extinguish the blaze, as well as a helicopter and two aircraft. Radiation is still present in these forests, making firefighting more difficult; authorities stated that there was no danger to the surrounding population. The previous reported fire was in June 2018.


Current state of the ecosystem

Despite the negative effect of the disaster on human life, many scientists see an overall beneficial effect to the
ecosystem An ecosystem (or ecological system) consists of all the organisms and the physical environment with which they interact. These biotic and abiotic components are linked together through nutrient cycles and energy flows. Energy enters the syst ...
. Though the immediate effects of the accident were negative, the area quickly recovered and is today seen as very healthy. The lack of people in the area has increased the
biodiversity Biodiversity or biological diversity is the variety and variability of life on Earth. Biodiversity is a measure of variation at the genetic ('' genetic variability''), species ('' species diversity''), and ecosystem ('' ecosystem diversity' ...
of the Exclusion Zone in the years since the disaster. In the aftermath of the disaster, radioactive contamination in the air had a decidedly negative effect on the fauna, vegetation, rivers, lakes, and groundwater of the area. The radiation resulted in deaths among coniferous plants, soil invertebrates, and mammals, as well as a decline in reproductive numbers among both plants and animals. The surrounding forest was covered in radioactive particles, resulting in the death of 400 hectares of the most immediate pine trees, though radiation damage can be found in an area of tens of thousands of hectares. An additional concern is that as the dead trees in this Red Forest (named for the color of the dead pines) decay, contamination is leaking into the groundwater. Despite all this, Professor Nick Beresford, an expert on Chernobyl and ecology, said that "the overall effect was positive" for the wildlife in the area. The impact of radiation on individual animals has not been studied, but cameras in the area have captured evidence of a resurgence of the mammalian population – including rare animals such as the lynx and the vulnerable European bison. Research on the health of Chernobyl's wildlife is ongoing, and there is concern that the wildlife still suffers from some of the negative effects of the radiation exposure. Though it will be years before researchers collect the necessary data to fully understand the effects, for now, the area is essentially one of Europe's largest nature preserves. Overall, an assessment by plant biochemist Stuart Thompson concluded, "the burden brought by radiation at Chernobyl is less severe than the benefits reaped from humans leaving the area." In fact, the
ecosystem An ecosystem (or ecological system) consists of all the organisms and the physical environment with which they interact. These biotic and abiotic components are linked together through nutrient cycles and energy flows. Energy enters the syst ...
around the power plant "supports more life than before".


Infrastructure

The industrial, transport, and residential infrastructure has been largely crumbling since the 1986 evacuation. There are at least 800 known "burial grounds" ( Ukrainian singular: ''mohyl'nyk'') for the contaminated vehicles with hundreds of abandoned military vehicles and helicopters. River ships and barges lie in the abandoned port of Chernobyl. The port can easily be seen in satellite images of the area. The Jupiter Factory, one of the largest buildings in the zone, was in use until 1996 but has since been abandoned and its condition is deteriorating. However, the infrastructure immediately used by the existing nuclear-related installations is maintained and developed, such as the
railway Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in Track (rail transport), tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the ...
link to the outside world from the Semykhody station used by the power plant.


Chernobyl-2

The Chernobyl-2 site (a.k.a. "The Russian Woodpecker") is a former Soviet military installation relatively close to the power plant, consisting of a gigantic transmitter and receiver belonging to the Duga-1 over-the-horizon radar system. Located from the surface area of Chernobyl-2 is a large underground complex that was used for anti-missile defense, space surveillance and communication, and research. Military units were stationed there.Wolfgang Spyra. ''Environmental Security and Public Safety''. Springer, 6 March 2007
pg. 181
/ref>


Media depictions

* Immediately after the explosion on 26 April 1986, Russian photographer Igor Kostin (1936–2015) photographed and reported on the event, getting the first pictures from the air, then for the next 20 years he continued visiting the area to document the political and personal stories of those impacted by the disaster, publishing a book of photos ''Chernobyl: confessions of a reporter''. * In 1993, the official video for
Pink Floyd Pink Floyd are an English rock band formed in London in 1965. Gaining an early following as one of the first British psychedelic groups, they were distinguished by their extended compositions, sonic experimentation, philosophical lyrics an ...
's " Marooned" features scenes of the town of Pripyat. * In an opening scene of the 1998 film '' Godzilla'', the main character, scientist Nick Tatopoulos, is in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, researching the effects of environmental radiation on earthworms. * British photographer
John Darwell John Darwell (born 1955) is a British photographer. Life and career Darwell was born in Bolton, Lancashire,Stephen Clarke,John Darwell: DDSBs (Discarded Dog Sh*t Bags), Redeye, 27 August 2013. in 1955. He has a BA in photography from Manchester ...
, was among the first foreigners to photograph within the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone for three weeks in late 1999, including in Pripyat, in numerous villages, a landfill site, and people continuing to live within the Zone. This resulted in an exhibition and book ''Legacy: Photographs inside the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone''. Stockport: Dewi Lewis, 2001. . Visits have since been made by numerous other documentary and art photographers. * In a 2014 episode of '' Top Gear'', the hosts were challenged with making their cars run out of fuel before they could reach the Exclusion Zone. * Jeremy Wade of the fishing documentary '' River Monsters'', risk his life to catch a river monster the supposedly lives near or in the cooling ponds of the Chernobyl power plant near Pripyat. * A large fraction of Martin Cruz Smith's 2004 crime novel '' Wolves Eat Dogs'' (the fifth in his series starring Russian detective Arkady Renko) is set in the Exclusion Zone. *The 2005 horror film Return of the Living Dead: Necropolis opening scene takes place within Chernobyl, where canisters of the zombie chemical 2-4-5 Trioxin are found to be held. * The video game franchise '' S.T.A.L.K.E.R.'', released in 2007, recreates parts of the zone from source photographs and in-person visits (bridges, railways, buildings, compounds, abandoned vehicles), albeit taking some artistic license regarding the geography of the Zone for gameplay reasons. * In the 2007 video game '' Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare'', two missions, i.e. " All Ghillied Up" and "One Shot, One Kill" take place in Pripyat. * A 2009 episode of ''
Destination Truth ''Destination Truth'' is an American paranormal reality television series that premiered on June 6, 2007, on Syfy. Produced by Mandt Bros. Productions and Ping Pong Productions, the program follows paranormal researcher Josh Gates around the ...
'' depicts Josh Gates and the Destination Truth team exploring the ruins of Pripyat for signs of paranormal activity. * In 2011, Guillaume Herbaut and Bruno Masi created the web documentary ''La Zone'', funded by CNC, LeMonde.fr and Agat Films. The documentary explores the communities and individuals that still inhabit or visit the Exclusion Zone. * The PBS program ''
Nature Nature, in the broadest sense, is the physical world or universe. "Nature" can refer to the phenomena of the physical world, and also to life in general. The study of nature is a large, if not the only, part of science. Although humans ar ...
'' aired on 19 October 2011, its documentary ''Radioactive Wolves'' which explores the return to nature which has occurred in the Exclusion Zone among wolves and other wildlife. * In the 2011 film '' Transformers: Dark of the Moon'', Chernobyl is depicted when the autobots investigate suspected alien activity. * 2011: the award-winning short film ''Seven Years of Winter'' was filmed under the direction of Marcus Schwenzel in 2011. In his short film the filmmaker tells the drama of the orphan Andrej, which is sent into the nuclear environment by his brother Artjom in order to ransack the abandoned homes . In 2015 the film received the Award for Best Film from the Uranium International Film Festival. * The 2012 film '' Chernobyl Diaries'' is set in the Exclusion Zone. The horror movie follows a tour group that become stranded in Pripyat, and their encounters with creatures mutated by radioactive exposure. * The 2015 documentary ''The Russian Woodpecker'', which won the Grand Jury Prize for World Documentary at the
Sundance Film Festival The Sundance Film Festival (formerly Utah/US Film Festival, then US Film and Video Festival) is an annual film festival organized by the Sundance Institute. It is the largest independent film festival in the United States, with more than 46,6 ...
, has extensive footage from the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone and focuses on a conspiracy theory behind the disaster and the nearby Duga radar installation. * Markiyan Kamysh's novel, ''Stalking the Atomic City. Life among the decadent and the depraved of Chornobyl'', about illegal pilgrimage to Chernobyl Zone. * The 2015 documentary
The Babushkas Of Chernobyl
' directed by Anne Bogart and Holly Morris focuses on elderly residents who remain in the Exclusion Zone. These people, a majority of whom are women, are self-sufficient farmers who receive routine visits from officials to check on their health and radiation levels. The film won several awards. * The five-part HBO miniseries '' Chernobyl'' was aired in 2019, dramatizing the events of the explosion and relief efforts after the fact. It was primarily shot in Lithuania. *In 2019, the Spintires video game released DLC where players can drive around the Exclusion Zone behind the wheel of a Russian truck to hunt down prize logging sites, while also trying to avoid getting blasted by radiation. The power plant, Pripyat, Red Forest, Kupsta Lake and the Duga Radar have all been recreated, so players can also go on a sightseeing tour from the truck. * The survival horror video game '' Chernobylite'' by The Farm 51 is set in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. * In '' Chris Tarrant: Extreme Railways'' Season 5 Episode - "Extreme Nuclear Railway: A Journey Too Far?" (episode 22) Chris Tarrant visits Chernobyl on his journey through Ukraine


See also

*
2020 Chernobyl Exclusion Zone wildfires The 2020 Chernobyl Exclusion Zone wildfires were a series of wildfires that began burning inside Ukraine's Chernobyl Exclusion Zone in April 2020. The fires were largely extinguished within two weeks. At least one suspect was arrested for alleged ...
* Effects of the Chernobyl disaster * List of Chernobyl-related articles * Polesie State Radioecological Reserve * State Emergency Service of Ukraine


Notes


References


External links


State Agency of Ukraine on Exclusion Zone Management (SAUEZM) website
– the central executive body over the zone (formerly under the Ministry of Emergencies of Ukraine)
Conservation, Optimization and Management of Carbon and Biodiversity in the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone
– a project of SAUEZM, UNEP,
GEF Gef ( ), also referred to as the Talking Mongoose or the Dalby Spook, was the name given to an allegedly talking mongoose which was claimed to inhabit a farmhouse owned by the Irving family. The Irvings' farm was located at Cashen's Gap near ...
, and the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Ukraine
Chernobyl Radiation and Ecological Biosphere Reserve

Chernobyl Center
– research institution working in the zone

– SUAEZM
Online map


News and publications

*
Wildlife defies Chernobyl radiation
' - by BBC News, 20 April 2006 *
Radioactive Wolves
' - by PBS Documentary aired in the U.S. on Oct, 19 2011

1993 ''
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper A newspaper is a periodical publication containing written information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray background. Newspapers can cover a wide ...
'' article about the zone
The zone as a wildlife reserve


Images from inside the Zone


ChernobylGallery.com
- Photographs of Chernobyl and Pripyat
Lacourphotos.com
- Pripyat in Wintertime (Urban photos)
Images from inside the Zone
{{Authority control Exclusion Zone Exclusion Zone Environment of Ukraine Subdivisions of Ukraine Radioactively contaminated areas Belarus–Ukraine border 1986 establishments in Ukraine History of Kyiv Oblast History of Zhytomyr Oblast