I was an engineer prior to becoming a photographer, I designed nuclear power plans. In addition I was born and lived in neighboring Belarus, formerly part of the Soviet Union. The accident happened during the Soviet era, about 200 mi from my hometown, and to a great extent it was very personal. I knew that Chernobyl nuclear power plant was poorly designed and on top of that, there were numerous human errors during the operation, however, at that moment witnessing the reality of the place, I...
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I was an engineer prior to becoming a photographer, I designed nuclear power plans. In addition I was born and lived in neighboring Belarus, formerly part of the Soviet Union. The accident happened during the Soviet era, about 200 mi from my hometown, and to a great extent it was very personal. I knew that Chernobyl nuclear power plant was poorly designed and on top of that, there were numerous human errors during the operation, however, at that moment witnessing the reality of the place, I was overwhelmed and defeated. The vast devastation, loss of human lives and prolonged, decaying after-effects, made me re-think, re-evaluate and re-consider my views. Is nuclear energy our future? Is it possible to design, build and operate safely nuclear power plants? Can we learn from the past and openly, honestly talk about the future? – In spite of everything we must discuss the future of the low-risk energy, the future of safe, controllable nuclear energy.
I went to Chernobyl with a group of photographers to document the worst disaster in history of mankind. Chernobyl and its Forbidden Zone are haunted places, which attract the attention of scientists, environmentalists, adventurers and the media. I spent some time right in the epicenter of the Chernobyl disaster photographing, eating and sleeping in the heart of the Exclusion Zone, in the shadow of the doomed reactor. Walking through the host town of Pripyat, going inside deserted hospitals, schools and residential buildings – frightened, terrified and disturbed me. Now this town become a tourist attraction, people from all over come to see the consequences of the worst disaster in human history. It is kind of scary and in the same time fascinating to be in this place, witnessing the worst nuclear accident in history of mankind; to be there looking in the past of Soviet era. I talked to people who live in Forbidden Zone and surrounding area – they are mostly old, lonely and abandoned. Folks enthusiastically invited us to their houses, generously sharing their food and stories. The chronicles were heartbreaking and very touching; they wanted the world to hear about their struggle, isolation and appalling poverty. I was their connection to the outside world.
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