Our journey to the Exclusion Zone, in my view, should begin far back in 1986, with a nod to a country that no longer exists—the Soviet Union…

Today, young people born in independent Ukraine know almost nothing about the Soviet Union (often abbreviated as USSR), its political system, or its legal structure. This can be considered both a blessing and a curse. On one hand, it’s a good thing—they aren’t weighed down by nostalgia, past glories, or the misleading propaganda about the Soviet Union’s greatness and achievements. On the other hand, as the Ukrainian poet Maksym Rylsky once said, “A nation that doesn’t know its history has no future.”

Let’s start with a brief look at the Soviet Union: in this country, the most important thing was fulfilling the tasks set by the Communist Party and its founding fathers. Many events were timed to coincide with significant dates—birthdays of leaders, the anniversary of the revolution, and so on. Naturally, the economy wasn’t market-driven but planned. There were five-year plans, annual plans, quarterly plans, and, of course, monthly plans. And that’s where our journey to the Exclusion Zone begins.

The Lead-Up to the Chernobyl Disaster and the Creation of the Exclusion Zone

By late April 1986, the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant (often referred to as ChNPP) had scheduled a shutdown of its 4th reactor for routine maintenance and a series of safety tests. This was set for April 25, with the day shift of operators preparing accordingly. However, the planned tests didn’t go ahead as scheduled. One theory suggests that regional energy officials demanded the reactor maintain its output to meet monthly production quotas—after all, it was the end of the month, and factories were running at full capacity to hit their targets. The plant’s management, reluctant to clash with party officials, postponed the tests to the night shift. This decision set off a chain of fatal errors and events that led to the Chernobyl disaster.

Events of April 26, 1986

The safety tests required the reactor to operate at reduced power. Throughout April 25, it had been running at half capacity, which needed to be lowered further to 700 MW. But during this reduction, an uncontrolled drop brought it down to just 30 MW. Operating at such a low level caused the reactor’s core to become poisoned with Xenon-135, a byproduct that stalls nuclear reactions. At this point, the tests should have been halted—but not in the Soviet Union, where defying orders from above could lead to dire consequences.

So, the safety tests went ahead, resulting in two explosions at Chernobyl’s 4th reactor. This unleashed a plume of radioactive materials—uranium isotopes, plutonium, iodine-131, cesium-134, cesium-137, and strontium-90—into the atmosphere.

The disaster that followed is considered the worst in the history of nuclear power. Some even argue it contributed to the eventual collapse of the Soviet Union.

Those responsible for the Chernobyl accident

We won’t dive into the question of who was to blame for the Chernobyl accident—that’s a matter for researchers and nuclear physicists. The official Soviet investigation by the KGB and subsequent trials pinned it on the plant’s staff. In his book Chernobyl: How It Was, Anatoly Dyatlov (one of the key figures blamed for the disaster) wrote.

“We have no other reasons for accidents except the carelessness and ignorance of the operators. Even if the commission had reached a conclusion based on the truth (and we can imagine that), it would’ve been buried for ‘political’ reasons, and they’d have announced what they did. No, it couldn’t have been otherwise.”

However, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) revisited the findings in 1993, concluding that. “Most of the actions by the staff, previously deemed violations, either complied with the rules of the time or had no impact on the accident’s development.”

Consequences of the Chernobyl Disaster: The Exclusion Zone

For days after the accident, the Soviet leadership downplayed its scale and delayed a large-scale evacuation. Yet, the radioactive fallout was detected as far away as Sweden—over 1,100 km from Chernobyl—when workers at the Forsmark (Forsmarks kärnkraftverk)Nuclear Power Plant triggered alarms during routine radiation checks, with traces found on their clothing.

While it’s estimated that over 60% of the radioactive fallout landed in modern-day Belarus, the contamination spread across numerous countries: Ukraine, Bulgaria, Greece, Romania, Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, and beyond.

After international pressure following the Forsmark detection, the USSR admitted to the disaster but continued to withhold details from the public. In Kyiv, a May Day parade went ahead as planned on May 1, despite radiation levels hundreds of times above normal (ranging from 400 to 2,500 µR/h, compared to an average safe level of 15 µR/h).

The evacuation of Pripyat! A town just a few kilometers from Chernobyl! It didn’t begin until April 27, under orders from the Soviet government and the Communist Party’s Central Committee. The process stretched until May 6. With a 30-kilometer radius declared a danger zone—though the contamination affected an area exceeding 220,000 km².

Chernobyl continued operating until 2000. With reactors 1, 2, and 3 still in use while construction of additional units (originally planned to total 12) was halted. The 4th reactor was encased in a protective sarcophagus in 1987. And in 2019, a new confinement structure was completed, ensuring safety until at least 2120.

The 30-kilometer radius around the plant remains uninhabited and is known as the Exclusion Zone. Today, it’s surrounded by multiple guarded perimeters: one directly around the plant, a 10-km zone, and the broader 30-km zone.

Visiting the Exclusion Zone

Today, the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant and Pripyat serve not only as reminders of the disaster but also as tourist destinations, drawing hundreds of thrill-seekers each year. There are both legal and illegal ways to visit the Exclusion Zone, but we strongly recommend sticking to official tour companies and guides if you decide to go.

Tours range from one-day trips to multi-day adventures. With an official tour, you’ll get proper permits and undergo all necessary safety checks.

During the tour, you’ll visit the “Red Forest” between Chernobyl and Pripyat and take a walking tour of Pripyat itself, seeing the amusement park, the energetic cultural center, and more—to grasp the disaster’s scale firsthand. Curious about what it looks like? Check out a short video tour here.

Not a game S.T.A.L.K.E.R

Fans of the video game S.T.A.L.K.E.R. will especially enjoy exploring the real-life locations that inspired the game’s haunting landscapes.

While you won’t be allowed inside the Chernobyl plant itself. A stop at the observation deck offers stunning views of the “Shelter” sarcophagus and the New Safe Confinement arch.

In warmer months, you can feed the massive catfish in the cooling ponds. Fish you’ve likely already seen in videos online, including on our channel Wadrivets!

You’ll also marvel at the monumental Duga. Radar in a nearby military town and meet some daring “self-settlers” who’ve returned to live in villages like Paryshiv within the Exclusion Zone.

If you opt for a two-day tour, you’ll enjoy a tasty dinner (made with imported ingredients), a cozy hotel stay, and evening chats filled with stories from Zone workers.

Before booking a trip, keep in mind that radiation affects people differently, and its long-term impacts aren’t fully understood. Don’t repeat the mistakes of Maria Skłodowska-Curie, who unknowingly became a victim of her own groundbreaking discovery.

Wishing you unforgettable impressions and exciting travels!