Curiosities – KGB report etc.

Secret report by KGB from the construction of the power plant (1977): During the construction of Chernobyl nuclear power plant, systematic violation of construction works and technologies was observed. Junk material discarded from several other plants and factories is being used here. In most of the works, falling behind the schedule was observed as well.

Secret report by KGB from 1986 (before the disaster):

In the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, several cracks were reported on the cowling of energy units no. 4 and 3. The armored concrete walls are exposed to a temperature reaching 160 degrees Celsius at which the concrete is loosing its properties. According to the project specifications, the temperature may not exceed 90 degrees Celsius.

Secret report by KGB from 26 April 1986 (day of the disaster):

After the explosion in the energy unit no. 4, the roof of reactor and machinery room broke down. The cooling system, reactor active zone, and reactor rooms are completely damaged. The roof of unit no. 3 was set on fire. The roof of the administrative building was pierced by flying pieces of graphite, concrete and steel fragments.

At the time of the explosion in energy unit no. 4, 17 workers were present there, 10 of them are in the hospital with ambustions, 3 are in critical condition, 1 is dead. Besides that, 112 workers from the plant are being monitored. The operator general Hodemchuk is being missed (left in the reactor).

Memories from a Pripyat inhabitant:

We woke up in the night as we heard an explosion. But we went back to bed as nobody told us about the disaster at the power plant. In the morning we went, as usual, to work. Just the next day the officials told us to pack some basic things and prepare for evacuation.

Memories of one of the liquidator:

In the summer and autumn of 1986, mass killing of kettle, poultry, dogs, etc. took place. As the scientist said – it was terrible but inevitable security action. They had here a spermic bull, by the soldiers called Uran. Uran took some heifers and run away. Soldiers could not find them for months. After the scientists find Uran alive, they decided to leave it in the Chernobyl zone as an experiment. After several years Uran appeared again. But his herd was three times larger than before. The radiation did not affect the spermic bull at all.