100%
The explosion at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant was one of the largest man-made accidents of the 20th century — a test for the country, science, and humanity.
Forty years later, we take a look back on those events to understand what exactly happened, how the liquidators approached their monumental task, and what lessons Russia learned from this experience.
Forty years later, we take a look back on those events to understand what exactly happened, how the liquidators approached their monumental task, and what lessons Russia learned from this experience.
On April 26, 1986, the world changed forever
Process meeting on the construction of the Shelter facility over the damaged Unit 4 at the V.I. Lenin Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant at the headquarters of the specialized Building Directorate No. 605 of the USSR Ministry of Medium Machine Building, August 1986 © Valery Zufarov, Vladimir Repik / TASS
B.Ye. Shcherbina, Chairman of the Government Commission for the Adoption of Measures to Eliminate the Accident and dentify the Causes of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant Accident and Deputy Chairman of the USSR Council of Ministers, speaks at a press conference for Soviet and foreign journalists dedicated to the events at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, held at the USSR Ministry of Foreign Affairs Press Center © Valentin Mastyukov / TASS
Unit 3 and the Shelter over Unit 4 (left to right) of the V.I. Lenin Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant after the accident, 1990 © Valery Zufarov / TASS
Head of the Mechanization Department of the All-Union Construction and Assembly Association Soyuzatomenergostroy N. Konstantinov (center) during a discussion of the work plan at a temporary testing site for special equipment designed for work in the area of the damaged reactor at the V.I. Lenin Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant © Valery Zufarov / TASS
The Government Commission for the Elimination of the Consequences of the Accident at the V.I. Lenin Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in session, August 1986 © Valery Zufarov, Vladimir Repik / TASS
Our project is a story of tribute, professionalism, and responsibility for the future, a documentary look at Chernobyl through time and destinies.
Project Team
Project Curator: Denis Pleshchenko
Idea: Denis Pleshchenko, Andrey Reznichenko, Yelizaveta Shevchenko
Project Manager: Irina Volkova
Author: Andrey Reznichenko
Producer: Daria Panevina
Content Manager: Maria Karagezova
Design: Daniil Filatov, Ksenia Belozerova, Anastasia Melnikova, Marina Cherkasova
Illustrator: Ivan Yefimov
Editors: Victoria Kopylova, Milena Ladnik
Translator: Andrey Starkov
Style Editor: Vladimir Khvatov
Voice over: Vladimir Khvatov
Film crew: Ilya Lazarev, Sergey Shakhidzhanyan, Maxim Kazakov, Ivan Meshkov, Georgy Chernyshov, Alexey Golenishchev, Yury Gonchar, Andrey Kirsanov, Denis Zavgorodny, Stanislav Gorshenin, Olga Ivakova, Maksim Churusov
Idea: Denis Pleshchenko, Andrey Reznichenko, Yelizaveta Shevchenko
Project Manager: Irina Volkova
Author: Andrey Reznichenko
Producer: Daria Panevina
Content Manager: Maria Karagezova
Design: Daniil Filatov, Ksenia Belozerova, Anastasia Melnikova, Marina Cherkasova
Illustrator: Ivan Yefimov
Editors: Victoria Kopylova, Milena Ladnik
Translator: Andrey Starkov
Style Editor: Vladimir Khvatov
Voice over: Vladimir Khvatov
Film crew: Ilya Lazarev, Sergey Shakhidzhanyan, Maxim Kazakov, Ivan Meshkov, Georgy Chernyshov, Alexey Golenishchev, Yury Gonchar, Andrey Kirsanov, Denis Zavgorodny, Stanislav Gorshenin, Olga Ivakova, Maksim Churusov
TASS acknowledgements to Vladimir Asmolov and Yevgeny Adamov for their assistance in making this project possible.
© TASS, 2026
TASS news agency (Media Registration Certificate No. 3 247 issued on April 2, 1999 by the State Committee of the Russian Federation for the Press). Some publications may contain information not suitable for users under 16 years of age.
TASS news agency (Media Registration Certificate No. 3 247 issued on April 2, 1999 by the State Committee of the Russian Federation for the Press). Some publications may contain information not suitable for users under 16 years of age.
