All language subtitles for 01_ch

What is the cost of lies?

It's not that we'll mistake
them for the truth.

The real danger is that
if we hear enough lies,

then we no longer
recognize the truth at all.

What can we do then?

What else is left
but to abandon even
the hope of truth

and content
ourselves instead
with stories?

In these stories,
it doesn't matter
who the heroes are.

who is to blame?

In this story,
it was Anatoly Dyatlov.

He was the best choice.

An arrogant, unpleasant man,

he ran the room that night,
he gave the orders...

and no friends.

Or, at least,
not important ones.

And now Dyatlov will spend
the next ten years

in a prison labor camp.

Of course, that sentence
is doubly unfair.

There were far greater
criminals than him at work.

And as for what Dyatlov did do,

the man doesn't deserve prison.

He deserves death.

But instead, ten years
for "criminal mismanagement."

What does that mean?

No one knows.
It doesn't matter.

What does matter
is that, to them,

justice was done.

Because, you see, to them

a just world is a sane world.

There was nothing sane
about Chernobyl.

What happened there,
what happened after,

even the good we did,
all of it...

all of it... madness.

Well, I've given you
everything I know.

They'll deny it, of course.

They always do.

I know you'll try your best.

Lyudmilla?

Comrade Dyatlov!

Comrade Dyatlov!
Comrade Dyatlov!

Comrade Dyatlov!
Comrade Dyatlov!

What just happened?

I don't know.

There's a fire
in the turbine hall.

The turbine hall.

The control system tank.
Hydrogen.

You and Toptunov,
you morons blew the tank!

-No, that's not--
-This is an emergency.

Everyone stay calm.
Our first priority is--

-It's exploded!
-We know.

Akimov, are we cooling
the reactor core?

We shut it down,
but the control rods
are still active.

They're not all the way in,
I disengaged the clutch.

Try and disconnect the servos
from the standby console.

You two, get
the backup pumps running.

We need water moving
through the core.

-That is all that matters.
-There is no core.

It exploded,
the core exploded.

He's in shock.
Get him out of here.

The lid is off!

The stack is burning.
I saw it.

You're confused.
RBMK reactor cores
don't explode.

- Akimov...
- Sasha.

Don't worry,
we did everything right.

Something...
something strange has happened.

-Do you taste metal?
-Akimov!

Comrade Perevozschenko,
what you're saying is
physically impossible.

The core can't explode.
It has to be the tank.

We're wasting time.
Let's go.

Get the hydrogen
out of the generators
and pump water into the core.

-What about the fire?
-Call the fire brigade.

You're not on call tonight.

They're bringing everybody in,
military and civil.

Pripyat, Polesskoe, Kiev.

This is a big one.

But it doesn't look right,
the color.

Pravik says
he thinks they're shining
floodlights or something.

And what if
there are chemicals?

Chemicals?

The problem's the roof.

It's covered in tar,
so it's gonna burn all night,

and it'll stink like hell.
That's it.

That's the worst of it.

Go back to bed.

-Is it war?
-Where's the dosimeter?

Here... Here.

Are they bombing?

What the fuck is this?
It's 3.6 roentgen.

That's as high as it goes.
The good one's locked in a safe.

I don't have a key.

Valera... your face.

Come on.

I'm going to find Khodemchuk
in the pump room.

You... here.

Get Shashenok.
He's in 604. Go.

We need to get
everyone out!

Shit.

Hey! We need to get
to the reactor hall.

-The lift's destroyed.
-Up two flights and across.

-Right.
-Why are you going there?

Have you seen
Khodemchuk?

-No. Where's Viktor?
-Still in the pump room.

Stay here. I'll come back.

Viktor!

Viktor.

Viktor.

Viktor. I'm gonna get
you out of here.

Can you stand?

Khodemchuk...

Where?

Get Khodemchuk.

I dropped the control rods
from the other panel.

- They're still up.
- What?

They're still only
a third of the way in,
I don't know why.

I already sent the trainees
down to the reactor hall
to lower them by hand.

- What about the pumps?
I can't get
through to Khodemchuk.

-The lines are down.
-Fuck the phones
and fuck Khodemchuk.

-Are the pumps on or not?
-Stolyarchuk?

My control panel's
not working.

I tried calling
for the electricians.

I don't give a shit
about the panel!

I need water in my reactor core!

Get down there and make sure
those pumps are on.

Now!

-What does the dosimeter say?
-3.6 roentgen, but that's
as high as the meter--

3.6-- not great,
not terrible.

We did everything right.

You, connect those hooks!

Get the pumps going!

Yeah, over here!

We're working
bottom to top. Go in fast.

Vasily...

-Hey, Vasily, what's this?
-I don't know, Misha.

Don't fuck around with it.
Hook these up, come on.

Do you taste metal?

-Yeah, what is that?
-I don't know.

The valves, Misha!
The valves, let's go!

The valves! Come on!

What do you need?

We need to get
into the reactor hall

to lower the control rods,
but the door is jammed.

I don't think there are
control rods.

I don't think there's a core.

No, you're--
you're mistaken.

Akimov said.

Let's go.

No!

Ignatenko, get on his hose!

It's all right. Breathe.

Misha.

All right, all right.
Easy, Misha.

Are you sure?

Akimov...

Move.

Come on, go!

Let's go!

Let's go!

Hey!

Hey!

Lyudmilla! Do you
want to come with us?

Come where?

We're going to the railroad
bridge to get a better look.

It's not like anyone
can sleep with all the sirens.

I don't think you should go.
It could be dangerous.

What do you mean dangerous?
It's a fire. It's over there,
we're over here.

-Mikhail.
-What?

Oh, sorry.

Oh.

- Is Vasily...?
- Yeah.

Did he say it was bad?

No. No, he said it was
just the roof.

Well, he's never
gotten hurt before.

None of the boys have.

He'll be fine.

Get some rest.

The tank,
it's big enough.

This kind of explosion,
the control tank on 71,
it's 100 cubic meters.

One hundred and ten.

Hundred and ten.
It could do this, definitely.

It's gone.

I looked right into it.

I looked into the core.

Did you lower
the control rods or not?

Take him
to the infirmary.

Toptunov, take him!

-Where's Kudryavstev?
-He fell.

- I need a medic! Anyone!
- He's delusional.

-His face...
-Ruptured condenser lines.

The feedwater is
mildly contaminated.

He'll be fine.
I've seen worse.

Do we still have
a phone line to the outside?

Akimov?

Call in the day shift.

-But if the--
-We have to keep water
flowing into the core.

We need electricians,
mechanics, we need bodies.

How many times
do I have to say it?

I'm going to
the Administration Building now

to call Bryukhanov and Fomin.

They're gonna want
a full report.

Now, I don't know if I can
make things better for you,

but I can certainly
make them worse.

Call in the day shift,
Comrade Akimov.

Yes, Comrade Dyatlov.

You're doing fine.

Raise her up.

That one,
maybe an hour.

This one,
not until morning.

-How's it
downstairs, doctor?
-Quiet.

Always is.

Nothing at this hour
but babies.

You know, I once went
two days without sleep?

Ten women went into labor
at the same time.

-Did I ever tell
you that story?
-Yes.

Well, I won't need you
in here for a while.

If you want, get some rest
in the break room.

They haven't brought
anyone in from the fire.

-What fire?
-The power plant.

Oh. Then it
mustn't be too bad.

Do we stock iodine?

-Hmm?
-Iodine.

-You mean disinfectant?
-No, pills. Does the hospital
stock iodine pills?

Iodine pills?
Why would we have
iodine pills?

Hello?

Hello?

Who else knows this?

Have you called Fomin?

Of course I want you
to call him.

If I'm up, he's up.

Whatever the cause,
the important thing is

that neither you nor I--

I take it the safety test
was a failure?

- We have the situation
under control.
Under control?

-It doesn't look like
it's under control.
-Shut up, Fomin.

I have to tell the Central
Committee about this.
Do you realize that?

I have to get on the phone
and tell Maryin,

or God forbid Frolyshev,

that my power plant
is on fire.

No one can blame you for this,
Director Bryukhanov.

Of course no one can
blame me for this.

How can I be responsible?
I was sleeping.

Tell me what happened,
quickly.

We ran the test exactly as
Chief Engineer Fomin approved.

Unit Shift Chief Akimov
and Engineer Toptunov

encountered technical
difficulties leading

to an accumulation of hydrogen
in the control system tank.

It regrettably ignited,

damaging the plant,
setting the roof on fire.

The tank is quite large.

It's the only
logical explanation.

Of course, Deputy Chief
Engineer Dyatlov

was directly
supervising the test,

so he would know best.

A hydrogen tank, fire...

-Reactor?
-We're taking
measures to ensure

a steady flow of water
through the core.

-What about radiation?
-Obviously, down here
it's nothing.

But in the reactor building,
I'm being told

3.6 roentgen per hour.

Well, that's not great,
but it's not horrifying.

Not at all.

-From the feedwater,
I assume?
-Mm-hmm.

We'll have
to limit shifts

to six hours at a time,
but otherwise...

The dosimetrists
should be checking regularly.

Have them use
the good meter from the safe.

Right.
I'll call Maryin.

Have them wake up the local
executive committee.

There'll be orders
coming down.

- Here.
- No.

You sure? Okay.

-What do you think
makes the colors?
-Oh...

-It's the fuel for sure.
-"Oh. It's the fuel for sure"?

What do you know about it?
You clean floors
at a train station.

My friend, Yuri, works
at the power plant.

He says it runs cold.

No gas, no fire. Just atoms.

Yuri says the only thing is,
you can't walk right up
to the fuel.

If you do, a glass of vodka
an hour for four hours.

Isn't Yuri a plumber?

At the nuclear
power plant, yeah.

It is beautiful.

Yeah.

Do you have a cigarette?

Do you need help?

It's over.

We've done all we can
from the perimeter.

We need to start making
our way to the roof.

Vasily!
You've gotta put it out.

- That's enough, comrades.
- We're pushing ahead.

Come on, boys.

Vasily, it's just past,
straight up.

All the way up,
all the way in.

Come on!

Yeah. Going in now.

What about the auxiliary?

The pumps are gone,
electrical's gone.

-The core?
-I didn't go in there,
and I won't.

-I think it's time we faced--
-No, we have to get water
into the core.

Otherwise,
there'll be a meltdown.

We have to open
the valves.

-Sasha...
-What do you want, Boris?

If it's true, then we're dead,
a million people are dead.

Is that what
you need to hear?

We have to open the valves.

-By hand.
-By hand?

You know, the number of valves,
the amount of time
to turn them,

you're talking
about hours in there!

-Then help us.
-Help you do what?

Pump water into a ditch?
There's nothing there!

Leonid, I'm begging you.

Watch the panel
while we're gone.

It's not working.

Just watch it.

I guess we know why
they called us in early.

Is anyone saying
what happened?

They were running the safety
test on the turbines,

blew the control system tank.

It doesn't make sense
to me either.

What about sabotage?

A bomb?

Sitnikov!
Bryukhanov wants us
to use the good dosimeter,

but it's in the safe,
and we can't find the key.

It's in Building 2.
Hasn't--?

Follow me.

Gentlemen, welcome.

Please, uh, find a seat.
Plenty of room.

I apologize for
the lateness of the hour.

Rest assured, we are all
very safe down here.

We built this shelter
to withstand a nuclear attack

by the Americans,
so I think we'll be fine.

As you can see, we have
experienced an accident.

A large control tank
malfunctioned,

damaging reactor Building 4
and starting a fire.

Now, I have spoken directly
to Deputy Secretary Maryin.

Maryin spoke
to Deputy Chief Frolyshev,

Frolyshev to Central Committee
member Dolgikh,

and Dolgikh to
General Secretary Gorbachev.

Now...

Because the Central Committee
has the greatest respect

for the work of the Pripyat
Executive Committee,

they have asked me to brief you
on matters as they stand, so...

- First, the accident...
- is well under control.

And second, because the efforts
of the Soviet nuclear industry

are considered key state
secrets, it is important

that we ensure
that this incident

has no adverse consequences.

Now, to prevent a panic,
the Central Committee
have ordered

a detachment of military
police to Pripyat.

How large of a detachment?

Between two
and four thousand men.

What's really going on here?
How dangerous is this?

There's mild radiation,
but it's limited
to the plant itself.

- No, it isn't.
- Excuse me?

You saw men outside vomiting.

You saw men with burns.

There's more radiation
than they're saying.

We have wives here,
we have children.

I say we evacuate the town.

Gentlemen--

Please, please.
My wife is here.

Do you think I would
keep her in Pripyat

if it wasn't safe?

Bryukhanov, the air is glowing.

The Cherenkov effect.
Completely normal phenomenon.

It can happen
with minimal radiation.

I wonder how many of you
know the name of this place.

We all call it
"Chernobyl," of course.

What is its real name?

The Vladimir I. Lenin
Nuclear Power Station.

Exactly.

Vladimir I. Lenin.

And how proud he would be
of you all tonight.

Especially you, young man,

and the passion you have
for the people.

For is that not the sole purpose
of the apparatus of the State?

Sometimes, we forget.

Sometimes, we fall prey to fear.

But our faith in
Soviet socialism

will always be rewarded.

Now, the State tells us
the situation here is
not dangerous.

Have faith, comrades.

The State tells us
it wants to prevent a panic.

Listen well.

It's true, when the people see
the police, they will be afraid.

But it is my experience

that when the people
ask questions

that are not in their
own best interest,

they should simply be told

to keep their minds
on their labor

and leave matters
of the State to the State.

We seal off the city.

No one leaves.

And cut the phone lines.

Contain the spread
of misinformation.

That is how we keep the people

from undermining the fruits
of their own labor.

Yes, comrades...

we will all be rewarded
for what we do here tonight.

This is our moment to shine.

Thank you.

Comrade Sitnikov to see
the Chief Engineer.

Well?

I sent my dosimetrists
into the reactor building.

The large dosimeter
from the safe,

the one with
the 1,000-roentgen capacity--

What was the number?

There was none.

The meter burned out
the second it was turned on.

-It's typical.
-See? This is
what Moscow does.

Sends us shit equipment, then
wonders why things go wrong.

We found another dosimeter

from the military
fire department.

It only goes
to 200 roentgen, but it's
better than the small ones.

And?

It maxed out.

Two hundred roentgen.

What game are you playing?

No, I--I--

I asked him, he took
multiple measurements,
he's my best man.

It's another faulty meter.
You're wasting our time.

I checked the meter
against the control.

What's wrong with you?
How'd you get that number

from feedwater leaking
from a blown tank?

-You don't.
-Then what the fuck
are you talking about?

I, um...

I walked around
the exterior of Building 4.

I think there's graphite
on the ground in the rubble.

You didn't see graphite.

-I did.
-You didn't.

You didn't!
Because it's not there!

What?

Are you suggesting
the core... what?

Exploded?

Yes.

Sitnikov.

You're a nuclear
engineer, so am I.

Please tell me how an RBMK
reactor core explodes.

Not a meltdown, an explosion.

I'd love to know.

I can't.

Are you stupid?

-No.
-Then why can't you?

I...

I don't see how
it could explode.

- But it did.
- Enough!

I'll go up
to the vent block roof.

From there you can look right
down into reactor Building 4.

I'll see it with my own...
my own eyes.

I apologize.

Guards! Guards!

Get him to the medic
or the hospital!
Whatever he needs!

It's the feedwater.
Been around it all night.

You go then.

What?

-Go to the vent block roof
and report back what you see.
-No.

-No, I won't do that.
-Of course you will.

You'll be fine. You'll see.

Come on.

Okay.

Let's begin.

Leonid.

Leonid.

Oh...

It's all
the way, okay?

All the way open.

I'm sorry.

There's nothing
to be sorry for.

I told you,
we did nothing wrong.

But we did.

Hello?

- Valery Legasov?
-Yes.

You are the Legasov who is
the First Deputy Director

of the Kurchatov Institute
of Atomic Energy?

-I am. Who am I--?
- This is Boris Shcherbina,

Deputy Chairman of
the Council of Ministers

and head of the Bureau
for Fuel and Energy.

There's been an accident
at the Chernobyl Nuclear
Power Plant.

How bad is it?

No. No need to panic.
There was a fire.

It's mostly put out.
The system control
tank exploded.

Control system tank.
And the core?

We've ordered them to
continuously pump water.

Yes, I see.
Any contamination?

It's mild. The plant manager,
Bryukhanov, is reporting

3.6 roentgen per hour.

That's actually significant.
You should evacuate the sur--

You're an expert on
RBMK reactors, correct?

-Yes, I've studied--
-General Secretary Gorbachev
has appointed a committee

to manage the accident.
You're on it.

We'll convene
at two this afternoon.

That late? Forgive me,
but don't you think

given the amount of radiation
that it would be--

Legasov, you're on this
committee to answer
direct questions

about the function
of an RBMK reactor

if they should happen
to arise. Nothing else.

Certainly not policy.
Do you understand?

- Yes, of course.
- I didn't mean to--

I'm pleased to report that

the situation
in Chernobyl is stable.

In terms of radiation,

I'm told it's the equivalent
of a chest X-ray.

No!

The fire is giving off
nearly twice the radiation

released by the bomb
in Hiroshima.

It will burn
and spread its poison

until the entire continent
is dead.

Tell our soldiers,

"You will need to move quickly,

and you will need to move
carefully.

These are the most important
90 seconds of your lives.

I wish you good health
and long life."

I serve the Soviet Union.

I serve the Soviet Union.

I serve the Soviet Union.

The official position
of the state

is that
a global nuclear catastrophe

is not possible
in the Soviet Union.