April 26th - Chernobyl - 18 years later. A must read powerful story

[ps1074]

This is a great read. If you have 10-15 minutes I encourage you to visit the web site below. It is a story of a young woman taking a ride through the dead zone of Chernobyl. There are more than a hundred photos. Some powerful stuff you won't see anywhere.

START THE READING HERE

[RoyGBiv]

1. Wow!

Thanks for posting that link. Took me more than 15 minutes, but I didn't notice until I was done. I lingered on some of the pages.

I remember when that happened, and I remember being somewhat overwhelmed by thoughts of what the hellish aftermath must be. I don't know why I've never sought out more information on it. This is the first time I've ever seen photos of the place.

I dated a girl from Russia several years ago, and during one of those evenings of random conversations comparing stories of our youths, mine in Reagan America, hers in Soviet Russia, I asked about Chernobyl. She grew silent and grim and wouldn't discuss it. It was the only thing I remember her being openly defiant about even being mentioned. It was weird to me, and being a stupid, clueless male, I occasionally would try to press it after that until she got mad. I always thought it was a political thing because she still would cling to some of the things that were beaten into her brain as a child. She was from Saratov, and I knew she had relatives in Kiev, but it never occurred to me until now how close Chernobyl was and how entirely possible it might be she had family affected by this. I feel like I need to find her and apologize.

Anyway, this probably isn't the right forum for me to comment on all that, but it brought back some memories.

Again, thanks.

[dArKeR]

2. Chernobyl disaster still means little to Ukraine's ecologists - TT

AFP , KIEV
Tuesday, Apr 27, 2004,Page 6

Eighteen years after Ukraine was struck by the world's worst nuclear accident -- the Chernobyl disaster -- ecological movements remain almost non-existent in the former Soviet republic still reliant on nuclear energy.

Radioactivity spewed by the April 26, 1986, explosion of Chernobyl's fourth reactor contaminated most of Europe, where it sparked a debate on the problems and dangers of nuclear development.

For Ukrainians, however, the tragedy's consequences had more of a political resonance than an ecological one -- five years before the downfall of the Soviet Union, Chernobyl exposed the lies and irresponsibility of the Soviet authorities charged with dealing with the crisis.

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/world/archives/2004/04/27/2003138293

[peacebuzzard]

3. Deeply disturbing views of a nuclear holocaust. Rare find photos

I was very disturbed about the Chernobyl accident because of my fixation to the Atomic disaster of Hiroshima. I was born in Japan on a military base and have always been profoundly stirred by those events. During the Chernobyl event I was safe and sound deep in South America working for the US military as a translator but was able to keep up with the events unfolding in the Soviet Union through the US state department communications and the limited local news.
It wasn't long after Chernobyl that while out grocery shopping in a local store I noticed a huge stock of a different label dry milk. The can intrigued me, because I was already more than familiar with the meager variety of Nestle', Dannon, and one or two other very familiar brands. The dry milk can was freshly and brilliantly painted with a very peaceful black and white cow in a green pasture. More noticeable was the price: about 1/3 of the price of other dry milks!! I inspected the can and saw it came from Belgium! Next door to Chernobyl as the wind blows!!
Because of the price, the product was flying off the shelf to the unsuspecting public. I mean, really, not many people would have related the two subjects. Moreover, nothing was ever said that I was aware of, in the local news about the possibility of tainted milk. I believe it became an issue in Europe some time later about the by-products of the fall-out.
As the brave photographers story relates, the numbers of the victims will never be known.