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1
00:00:00,300 --> 00:00:05,380
Congratulations, comrades.
You're the last of 3,828 men.
2
00:00:08,090 --> 00:00:10,340
I found this
in the state archive.
3
00:00:10,420 --> 00:00:11,420
I need your help.
4
00:00:11,630 --> 00:00:14,050
Can you confirm
that the reactor exploded
5
00:00:14,130 --> 00:00:16,210
after they attempted
to shut it down?
6
00:00:16,300 --> 00:00:17,510
What, you think
the right question
7
00:00:17,590 --> 00:00:18,800
will get you the truth?
8
00:00:19,920 --> 00:00:22,010
They're going
to put Dyatlov on trial.
9
00:00:22,090 --> 00:00:25,050
We're going to be asked
to give expert testimony.
10
00:00:25,260 --> 00:00:26,710
I've analyzed the data.
11
00:00:26,920 --> 00:00:29,760
They shut the reactor down,
and then it exploded.
12
00:00:30,760 --> 00:00:31,880
You've seen this before.
13
00:00:31,960 --> 00:00:34,050
I had no idea it could cause
an explosion.
14
00:00:34,130 --> 00:00:35,960
- So, it is their fault?
- Yes.
15
00:00:36,050 --> 00:00:37,170
But not only their fault.
16
00:00:37,260 --> 00:00:38,880
We can make a deal with the KGB.
17
00:00:38,960 --> 00:00:40,840
You'll leave this information
out in Vienna.
18
00:00:40,920 --> 00:00:43,670
They quietly let us fix
the remaining reactors.
19
00:00:43,760 --> 00:00:45,920
You have a chance
to talk to the world.
20
00:00:46,420 --> 00:00:48,260
Someone has to start
telling the truth.
21
00:03:23,050 --> 00:03:26,170
I hear they might
promote Bryukhanov.
22
00:03:26,260 --> 00:03:30,260
This little problem we have
with the safety test...
23
00:03:30,340 --> 00:03:34,090
if it's completed successfully,
24
00:03:34,170 --> 00:03:37,920
yes, I think promotion's
very likely.
25
00:03:38,010 --> 00:03:40,170
Who knows, maybe Moscow.
26
00:03:42,010 --> 00:03:44,380
Naturally, they'll put me
in charge once he's gone,
27
00:03:44,460 --> 00:03:47,510
and then I'll need someone
to take my old job.
28
00:03:49,300 --> 00:03:51,590
I could pick Sitnikov.
29
00:04:00,300 --> 00:04:02,460
I would like to be considered.
30
00:04:05,590 --> 00:04:07,170
I'll keep that in mind.
31
00:04:09,010 --> 00:04:10,550
Viktor Petrovich,
32
00:04:10,630 --> 00:04:12,880
preparations for the test
have gone smoothly.
33
00:04:12,960 --> 00:04:16,210
Comrade Dyatlov's been
working per my instructions,
34
00:04:16,300 --> 00:04:20,550
and Reactor 4 output's been
reduced to 1600 megawatts.
35
00:04:20,630 --> 00:04:24,130
With your approval, we're ready
to continue lowering power to...
36
00:04:24,210 --> 00:04:26,010
We have to wait.
37
00:04:27,090 --> 00:04:28,420
Is, uh...?
38
00:04:28,510 --> 00:04:31,420
Are you going to ask me if
there's a problem, Nikolai?
39
00:04:31,510 --> 00:04:33,760
You can't read a fucking face?
40
00:04:33,840 --> 00:04:36,380
Three years,
I've tried to finish this test.
41
00:04:36,460 --> 00:04:38,010
Three years.
42
00:04:44,840 --> 00:04:47,090
I've just had a call from
the grid controller in Kiev.
43
00:04:47,170 --> 00:04:49,420
He says we can't
lower power any further,
44
00:04:49,510 --> 00:04:50,670
not for another ten hours.
45
00:04:50,760 --> 00:04:52,550
The grid controller?
Where does he get off...
46
00:04:52,630 --> 00:04:56,550
It's not the grid controller's
decision, Dyatlov.
47
00:04:56,630 --> 00:04:58,670
It's the end of the month.
48
00:04:58,760 --> 00:05:01,380
All the productivity quotas.
49
00:05:01,460 --> 00:05:04,210
Everyone's working overtime,
the factories need power.
50
00:05:04,300 --> 00:05:06,170
Someone's pushing
down from above.
51
00:05:06,260 --> 00:05:08,840
Although, we'll never know who.
52
00:05:16,380 --> 00:05:18,670
So, do we have to scrap it or what?
53
00:05:18,760 --> 00:05:21,130
No, I don't think so.
54
00:05:21,210 --> 00:05:23,130
If we need to wait ten hours,
55
00:05:23,210 --> 00:05:24,840
- we wait
- Running at half power,
56
00:05:24,920 --> 00:05:27,210
we're not going to have
stability issues?
57
00:05:27,300 --> 00:05:30,550
- No, I-I should think...
- I'm not asking you.
58
00:05:33,170 --> 00:05:34,510
It's safe.
59
00:05:34,590 --> 00:05:36,130
We'll maintain at 1600.
60
00:05:36,210 --> 00:05:38,800
I'll go home, get some sleep,
come back tonight.
61
00:05:38,880 --> 00:05:40,840
We'll proceed then.
62
00:05:40,920 --> 00:05:43,210
I'll personally supervise the test.
63
00:05:43,300 --> 00:05:45,800
And it will be completed.
64
00:05:49,460 --> 00:05:52,210
Well,
I'm not waiting around then.
65
00:05:52,300 --> 00:05:53,800
Call me when it's done.
66
00:07:31,260 --> 00:07:32,840
How do you feel?
67
00:07:34,670 --> 00:07:36,130
You went to the doctor yesterday.
68
00:07:36,210 --> 00:07:38,340
How is your health?
69
00:07:38,420 --> 00:07:40,630
You don't know?
70
00:07:41,760 --> 00:07:43,300
From Vienna.
71
00:07:43,380 --> 00:07:44,920
Do you read German?
72
00:07:46,420 --> 00:07:51,920
It says, "At last a Soviet
scientist who tells the truth."
73
00:07:52,010 --> 00:07:53,840
Obviously,
I resent the insinuation,
74
00:07:53,920 --> 00:07:57,550
but I think it's fair to say, you made an
excellent impression at the conference.
75
00:07:57,630 --> 00:08:00,630
Turns out,
you're quite good at this.
76
00:08:00,710 --> 00:08:02,590
At what? Lying?
77
00:08:02,670 --> 00:08:05,670
Statecraft, Legasov.
Statecraft.
78
00:08:05,760 --> 00:08:08,170
The West is now satisfied
79
00:08:08,260 --> 00:08:11,210
that Chernobyl was solely
the result of operator error,
80
00:08:11,300 --> 00:08:13,300
which it essentially was.
81
00:08:13,380 --> 00:08:15,300
We have you to thank for that,
82
00:08:15,380 --> 00:08:17,050
and we intend to.
83
00:08:21,090 --> 00:08:23,550
"Hero of the Soviet Union."
84
00:08:23,630 --> 00:08:25,670
Our highest honor.
85
00:08:25,760 --> 00:08:28,510
They haven't even given it to me.
86
00:08:28,590 --> 00:08:32,590
"Promotion to Director of
the Kurchatov Institute."
87
00:08:35,050 --> 00:08:36,630
I'm humbled.
88
00:08:36,710 --> 00:08:41,260
I don't think there's anything
humble about you, Valery Alexeyevich.
89
00:08:41,340 --> 00:08:43,800
These rewards are not yours yet.
90
00:08:43,880 --> 00:08:45,630
First,
your testimony at the trial.
91
00:08:45,710 --> 00:08:50,880
Comrade Charkov,
I understand my duty to the State.
92
00:08:50,960 --> 00:08:53,630
But you gave us assurances.
93
00:08:53,710 --> 00:08:56,130
The reactors would be made safe.
94
00:08:56,210 --> 00:08:58,630
It's been months,
no changes have been made.
95
00:08:58,710 --> 00:09:02,380
- No changes even discussed.
- First, the trial.
96
00:09:03,590 --> 00:09:05,920
Once it's over,
we will have our villains,
97
00:09:06,010 --> 00:09:10,050
we will have our hero,
we will have our truth.
98
00:09:10,130 --> 00:09:13,670
After that,
we can deal with the reactors.
99
00:10:38,170 --> 00:10:40,090
Did you take a train?
100
00:10:40,170 --> 00:10:42,920
Yes, I took a train.
101
00:10:43,010 --> 00:10:45,840
Now let's talk about Vienna.
102
00:10:45,920 --> 00:10:47,960
I'm not here to scold you.
103
00:10:48,050 --> 00:10:51,710
I know how the world works
despite what Shcherbina says.
104
00:10:52,920 --> 00:10:56,300
So... why are you here?
105
00:10:56,380 --> 00:10:59,300
Because I'm brutally stubborn.
106
00:10:59,380 --> 00:11:01,590
Which you were hoping for.
107
00:11:05,380 --> 00:11:09,800
Charkov is saying they're going to
fix the reactors after the trial.
108
00:11:11,420 --> 00:11:12,920
Do you believe him?
109
00:11:15,960 --> 00:11:18,010
The State will never
willingly fix the reactors,
110
00:11:18,090 --> 00:11:21,710
because acknowledging the problem
means admitting that they lied.
111
00:11:21,800 --> 00:11:23,710
They will have to be forced.
112
00:11:30,710 --> 00:11:34,420
At the trial,
you're going to tell the truth.
113
00:11:35,760 --> 00:11:37,880
You're going to convince the jury.
114
00:11:37,960 --> 00:11:40,210
It's a show trial.
115
00:11:40,300 --> 00:11:44,420
- The jury's already been handed their verdict.
- I'm not talking about them.
116
00:11:46,090 --> 00:11:47,800
The Central Committee have invited
117
00:11:47,880 --> 00:11:51,510
members of the scientific
community to observe the trial.
118
00:11:51,590 --> 00:11:55,260
Our colleagues, from Kurchatov,
119
00:11:55,340 --> 00:11:57,380
from Sredmash, from Minenergo,
120
00:11:57,460 --> 00:12:01,170
they will be sitting in the crowd
listening to every word you say.
121
00:12:01,260 --> 00:12:03,340
A jury that only
we know is there.
122
00:12:03,420 --> 00:12:07,510
And when your testimony arrives
at the moment of the explosion?
123
00:12:09,130 --> 00:12:12,630
That is when our jury will
finally hear the truth.
124
00:12:12,710 --> 00:12:15,510
- And do what with it?
- Insist on reform.
125
00:12:17,170 --> 00:12:20,710
- Not just to the RBMK, but the entire industry.
- No, no, no, no, no.
126
00:12:20,800 --> 00:12:23,210
- They can't function without us.
- No, no, no.
127
00:12:23,300 --> 00:12:25,510
Do you know
what happened to Volkov
128
00:12:25,590 --> 00:12:28,050
the man whose report you found?
129
00:12:28,130 --> 00:12:32,840
They just removed him from
his position at the Institute.
130
00:12:32,920 --> 00:12:36,050
Sacked for the crime of knowing.
131
00:12:36,130 --> 00:12:38,420
And you think that
these scientists,
132
00:12:38,510 --> 00:12:41,260
handpicked to witness
a show trial,
133
00:12:41,340 --> 00:12:44,960
will somehow be stirred
into action by me?
134
00:12:45,050 --> 00:12:49,090
Because of some heroic stance
I take in defiance of the State?
135
00:12:49,170 --> 00:12:51,050
- Yes.
- Why?
136
00:12:51,130 --> 00:12:55,090
Because you're Valery Legasov,
and you mean something.
137
00:12:56,050 --> 00:12:59,840
I'd like to think that if I spoke
out, it would be enough.
138
00:13:01,010 --> 00:13:03,510
But I know how the world works.
139
00:13:06,210 --> 00:13:09,460
They will shoot me, Khomyuk.
140
00:13:12,340 --> 00:13:15,550
You told me
to find out what happened.
141
00:13:15,630 --> 00:13:17,760
I spoke to dozens of people.
142
00:13:17,840 --> 00:13:22,380
Every word they said,
I wrote down.
143
00:13:22,460 --> 00:13:24,800
All in these books.
144
00:13:24,880 --> 00:13:26,550
These are the ones
who are still alive.
145
00:13:26,630 --> 00:13:28,300
These are the ones who are dead.
146
00:13:28,380 --> 00:13:29,960
They died rescuing each other.
147
00:13:30,050 --> 00:13:33,260
Putting out fires,
tending to the wounded.
148
00:13:33,340 --> 00:13:35,130
They didn't hesitate,
they didn't waiver.
149
00:13:35,210 --> 00:13:37,380
They simply did
what had to be done.
150
00:13:37,460 --> 00:13:39,710
So have I.
151
00:13:39,800 --> 00:13:41,630
So have I.
152
00:13:41,710 --> 00:13:44,630
I went willingly
to an open reactor.
153
00:13:44,710 --> 00:13:48,010
So I've already given my life.
154
00:13:48,090 --> 00:13:50,210
Isn't that enough?
155
00:13:51,710 --> 00:13:54,880
No, I'm sorry, but it is not.
156
00:15:03,340 --> 00:15:06,260
The Central Committee of the
Communist Party of the Soviet Union
157
00:15:06,340 --> 00:15:09,340
and the Presidium of the
Supreme Soviet of the U.S.S.R.
158
00:15:09,420 --> 00:15:11,340
has determined that
justice be carried out
159
00:15:11,420 --> 00:15:12,840
on behalf of the People
160
00:15:12,920 --> 00:15:15,420
in accordance with
the general goal of our Party
161
00:15:15,510 --> 00:15:19,210
as determined by its 20th,
21st, and 22nd Congresses,
162
00:15:19,300 --> 00:15:21,210
which is a Leninist goal.
163
00:15:21,300 --> 00:15:22,510
It was, is, and will be
164
00:15:22,590 --> 00:15:25,260
the only immutable goal
in the Soviet state.
165
00:15:25,340 --> 00:15:26,630
The path of Leninist principles
166
00:15:26,710 --> 00:15:29,420
shall be consistently
and undeviatingly followed
167
00:15:29,510 --> 00:15:32,760
as it expresses the vital
interests of the Soviet People,
168
00:15:32,840 --> 00:15:34,090
its hopes and aspirations
169
00:15:34,170 --> 00:15:36,340
as we guide the life
of the Party and the State.
170
00:15:36,420 --> 00:15:38,630
This session of court
is now open,
171
00:15:38,710 --> 00:15:41,840
Comrade Judge Milan Kadnikov presiding.
172
00:15:43,340 --> 00:15:44,510
Indictments:
173
00:15:44,590 --> 00:15:46,630
Viktor Bryukhanov,
174
00:15:46,710 --> 00:15:48,920
Anatoly Dyatlov,
175
00:15:49,010 --> 00:15:50,920
Nikolai Fomin...
176
00:15:51,010 --> 00:15:53,960
are accused of violating
Article 220 Section 2
177
00:15:54,050 --> 00:15:56,090
of the Criminal Code
of the Soviet Union,
178
00:15:56,170 --> 00:16:01,210
resulting in a nuclear disaster
on April 26, 1986.
179
00:16:01,300 --> 00:16:03,800
The State calls witnesses
Comrade Khomyuk
180
00:16:03,880 --> 00:16:06,260
of the Byelorussian
Nuclear Institute,
181
00:16:06,340 --> 00:16:10,420
Comrade Legasov of the Kurchatov
Institute of Atomic Energy,
182
00:16:10,510 --> 00:16:15,090
and Comrade Boris
Evdokimovich Shcherbina,
183
00:16:15,170 --> 00:16:17,590
Deputy Chairman of
the Council of Ministers
184
00:16:17,670 --> 00:16:21,210
and head of the Bureau
for Fuel and Energy.
185
00:16:55,090 --> 00:17:00,670
It began with, of all things,
a safety test.
186
00:17:00,760 --> 00:17:03,670
Why was there need
for a safety test at all?
187
00:17:03,760 --> 00:17:08,010
Reactor Number 4 was not new
when the accident occurred.
188
00:17:08,090 --> 00:17:13,630
In fact, it went into operation
on December 20th, 1983.
189
00:17:13,710 --> 00:17:17,670
Eleven days later,
on the last day of the year,
190
00:17:17,760 --> 00:17:22,510
Plant Director Viktor Bryukhanov
signed this document...
191
00:17:22,590 --> 00:17:28,920
Certifying the completion of
the construction of the reactor.
192
00:17:30,590 --> 00:17:34,960
As a result of finishing the
work before the end of the year,
193
00:17:35,050 --> 00:17:38,800
Comrade Bryukhanov was awarded
Hero of Socialist Labor.
194
00:17:38,880 --> 00:17:43,550
Comrade Fomin was awarded
for Valorous Labor.
195
00:17:43,630 --> 00:17:48,300
Comrade Dyatlov was given
an Order of the Red Banner.
196
00:17:50,210 --> 00:17:52,840
But their work was not finished.
197
00:17:54,380 --> 00:17:58,590
And this document was a lie.
198
00:17:58,670 --> 00:18:01,550
In order to sign this certificate,
199
00:18:01,630 --> 00:18:06,010
all safety tests had to have
been successfully completed,
200
00:18:06,090 --> 00:18:09,210
and yet, one remained.
201
00:18:11,260 --> 00:18:16,420
A nuclear reactor generates
heat in the core here.
202
00:18:16,510 --> 00:18:18,710
A series of pumps,
here and here,
203
00:18:18,800 --> 00:18:22,260
send a constant flow of
cooling water through the core.
204
00:18:22,340 --> 00:18:24,800
The core's heat turns
the water to steam,
205
00:18:24,880 --> 00:18:27,260
and the steam spins
the turbine here,
206
00:18:27,340 --> 00:18:29,630
and the result is electricity.
207
00:18:29,710 --> 00:18:33,460
But what if a power plant
has no power?
208
00:18:34,340 --> 00:18:37,920
What if the power feeding
the plant itself is disrupted?
209
00:18:38,010 --> 00:18:40,550
A blackout, equipment failure,
210
00:18:40,630 --> 00:18:43,420
or an attack by a foreign enemy?
211
00:18:43,510 --> 00:18:45,300
If there's no power,
212
00:18:45,380 --> 00:18:48,260
the pumps cannot move
water through the core.
213
00:18:48,340 --> 00:18:51,130
And without water,
the core overheats,
214
00:18:51,210 --> 00:18:52,710
the fuel melts down.
215
00:18:52,800 --> 00:18:55,210
In short, a nuclear disaster.
216
00:18:55,300 --> 00:18:56,960
The solution?
217
00:18:57,050 --> 00:19:00,960
Three diesel fuel
backup generators here.
218
00:19:01,050 --> 00:19:03,300
So, problem solved?
219
00:19:03,380 --> 00:19:05,010
No.
220
00:19:05,090 --> 00:19:07,630
Bryukhanov knew that the problem
was not solved at all.
221
00:19:07,710 --> 00:19:11,130
The backup generators took
approximately one minute
222
00:19:11,210 --> 00:19:13,510
to reach the speed required
223
00:19:13,590 --> 00:19:15,630
to power the pumps
and prevent a meltdown,
224
00:19:15,710 --> 00:19:20,260
and by that time,
it would be too late.
225
00:19:20,340 --> 00:19:22,710
So we arrive at the safety test.
226
00:19:24,420 --> 00:19:28,050
The theory was this:
If the facility lost power,
227
00:19:28,130 --> 00:19:29,960
the turbine,
which had been spinning,
228
00:19:30,050 --> 00:19:32,760
would take some time
to slow down and stop.
229
00:19:32,840 --> 00:19:35,210
What if you could take
the electricity
230
00:19:35,300 --> 00:19:38,510
it was still generating
and transfer it to the pumps?
231
00:19:38,590 --> 00:19:40,170
What if the dying turbine
232
00:19:40,260 --> 00:19:42,380
could keep the pumps
working long enough
233
00:19:42,460 --> 00:19:46,920
to bridge the 60-second gap
until the generators came on?
234
00:19:51,800 --> 00:19:53,260
Any questions?
235
00:19:54,710 --> 00:19:58,130
No. Continue, please.
236
00:19:59,760 --> 00:20:01,960
To test this theory,
237
00:20:02,050 --> 00:20:05,010
the reactor is placed
in a reduced power mode...
238
00:20:05,090 --> 00:20:06,670
700 megawatts...
239
00:20:06,760 --> 00:20:09,340
To simulate
a blackout condition.
240
00:20:09,420 --> 00:20:11,340
Then the turbines
are turned off,
241
00:20:11,420 --> 00:20:13,420
and as they slowly spin down,
242
00:20:13,510 --> 00:20:15,300
their electrical output is
measured
243
00:20:15,380 --> 00:20:19,050
to see if it's enough
to power the pumps.
244
00:20:19,130 --> 00:20:21,380
The science is strong,
245
00:20:21,460 --> 00:20:26,510
but a test is only as good
as the men carrying it out.
246
00:20:27,800 --> 00:20:31,210
Now, the first time they tried,
they failed.
247
00:20:31,300 --> 00:20:34,050
The second time they tried,
they failed.
248
00:20:34,130 --> 00:20:36,800
The third time they tried,
they failed.
249
00:20:36,880 --> 00:20:39,880
The fourth time they tried
250
00:20:39,960 --> 00:20:44,130
was April 26th, 1986.
251
00:20:55,840 --> 00:20:57,840
Comrade Khomyuk.
252
00:21:21,510 --> 00:21:23,260
To understand
what happened that night,
253
00:21:23,340 --> 00:21:25,340
we have to go back
ten hours earlier...
254
00:21:25,420 --> 00:21:28,920
April 25th, the day the test
was meant to take place.
255
00:21:29,010 --> 00:21:30,260
By two in the afternoon,
256
00:21:30,340 --> 00:21:32,380
the reactor has been
lowered by half
257
00:21:32,460 --> 00:21:35,630
from its normal output level
of 3200 megawatts
258
00:21:35,710 --> 00:21:37,920
to 1600 megawatts and is stable
259
00:21:38,010 --> 00:21:41,130
and ready to be reduced to its
final output level for the test:
260
00:21:41,210 --> 00:21:43,130
700 megawatts.
261
00:21:43,210 --> 00:21:47,170
But before they can proceed,
there is a phone call.
262
00:21:48,210 --> 00:21:51,210
Power grid officials in Kiev
say that they cannot afford
263
00:21:51,300 --> 00:21:54,670
a further reduction in the
electricity until after midnight.
264
00:21:54,760 --> 00:21:57,380
They are asking
for a ten-hour delay.
265
00:21:58,420 --> 00:22:00,300
This is the first critical moment,
266
00:22:00,380 --> 00:22:02,840
the first link in the chain of disaster.
267
00:22:02,920 --> 00:22:07,510
Competent management would have
insisted on canceling the test.
268
00:22:07,590 --> 00:22:10,590
These three men
allowed it to proceed.
269
00:22:12,300 --> 00:22:14,300
Why was this delay so dangerous?
270
00:22:14,380 --> 00:22:17,050
It created two problems:
271
00:22:17,130 --> 00:22:20,090
One of them is
scientific in nature...
272
00:22:21,210 --> 00:22:23,840
and the other is very human.
273
00:22:23,920 --> 00:22:26,050
This is the one
we will consider first.
274
00:22:26,960 --> 00:22:31,090
At midnight,
there is a shift change.
275
00:22:42,760 --> 00:22:45,340
Hey.
276
00:22:46,090 --> 00:22:48,670
- Khodemchuk...
- Forget it. Find another fool.
277
00:22:48,760 --> 00:22:51,710
Toptunov, want to buy
a motorcycle?
278
00:22:51,800 --> 00:22:54,170
Toptunov?
He's just a little boy.
279
00:22:54,260 --> 00:22:56,170
He's got more hair on his face
than on his balls.
280
00:22:56,260 --> 00:22:58,550
Hair? Is that what's on his lip?
281
00:23:00,710 --> 00:23:02,210
Leonid Fedorovych.
282
00:23:02,300 --> 00:23:04,880
Akimov says to come to the
control room as soon as you can.
283
00:23:04,960 --> 00:23:06,710
- Is he already here?
- He came in early.
284
00:23:06,800 --> 00:23:08,800
Something about a test.
285
00:23:09,960 --> 00:23:13,960
You see? Desperate.
286
00:23:21,760 --> 00:23:23,460
Sasha?
287
00:23:24,510 --> 00:23:28,210
Ah. You know the test
they were supposed to run?
288
00:23:28,300 --> 00:23:30,880
The turbine rundown,
they tried it last year.
289
00:23:30,960 --> 00:23:34,380
They couldn't do it on the day
shift, so they've given it to us.
290
00:23:34,460 --> 00:23:35,510
To us?
291
00:23:35,590 --> 00:23:37,170
- We don't know what...
- Shh.
292
00:23:38,800 --> 00:23:40,880
- We don't know what it is.
- It's fine.
293
00:23:40,960 --> 00:23:43,090
We take it down to 700,
hold it there,
294
00:23:43,170 --> 00:23:45,920
the rest is Stolyarchuk
and Kirschenbaum, but...
295
00:23:46,010 --> 00:23:48,260
Dyatlov is gonna be supervising.
296
00:23:48,340 --> 00:23:50,840
I have to do something
I've never done before
297
00:23:50,920 --> 00:23:52,210
with Dyatlov looking
over my shoulder?
298
00:23:52,300 --> 00:23:55,170
Yeah, well, don't worry,
we'll do it together.
299
00:23:55,260 --> 00:23:57,840
I'm looking at
the instructions now.
300
00:23:57,920 --> 00:24:01,460
Are we supposed to do
those or not?
301
00:24:09,380 --> 00:24:11,920
Yes, this is Akimov in 4.
302
00:24:12,010 --> 00:24:15,590
I have the manual
for the rundown test.
303
00:24:15,670 --> 00:24:18,510
You did it last year.
304
00:24:18,590 --> 00:24:20,960
Yes, in the program there's
instructions of what to do,
305
00:24:21,050 --> 00:24:23,510
and then, well,
there's a lot of things crossed out.
306
00:24:23,590 --> 00:24:25,050
What should I...?
307
00:24:26,840 --> 00:24:28,710
Well, what should I...?
308
00:24:30,550 --> 00:24:32,090
Are you sure?
309
00:24:32,170 --> 00:24:34,880
Right. Thank you.
310
00:24:36,260 --> 00:24:39,050
He says to follow
the crossed-out instructions.
311
00:24:39,130 --> 00:24:41,340
So then why are they crossed out?
312
00:24:47,920 --> 00:24:50,460
We've been cleared to run the test.
313
00:24:50,550 --> 00:24:52,300
1600. Good.
314
00:24:52,380 --> 00:24:55,550
Now, is it too much to ask that
you all know what you're doing?
315
00:24:55,630 --> 00:24:57,670
- Well...
- Yes. Absolutely.
316
00:24:59,050 --> 00:25:00,460
- Stolyarchuk?
- Yes.
317
00:25:00,550 --> 00:25:03,590
- Kirschenbaum?
- Uh, I haven't reviewed.
318
00:25:03,670 --> 00:25:05,550
We only just found out really...
319
00:25:05,630 --> 00:25:06,920
There, review it.
320
00:25:07,010 --> 00:25:08,840
Or you can just do
what I tell you.
321
00:25:08,920 --> 00:25:11,960
I think even you, stupid as you
are, can manage that.
322
00:25:12,880 --> 00:25:14,550
Well, let's go.
323
00:25:17,590 --> 00:25:20,050
I'm supposed to switch the turbine
off while the reactor's still running?
324
00:25:20,130 --> 00:25:24,420
- This is not good...
- Shut the fuck up and do your job!
325
00:25:25,260 --> 00:25:28,300
Toptunov, reduce power to 700.
326
00:25:30,380 --> 00:25:32,550
I've never done
this with the power so low before.
327
00:25:32,630 --> 00:25:34,880
It's okay.
I'm with you.
328
00:25:39,920 --> 00:25:41,710
Reducing power to 700.
329
00:25:42,920 --> 00:25:45,460
I want you to
think of Yuri Gagarin.
330
00:25:47,380 --> 00:25:49,880
I want you to imagine that
he has been told nothing
331
00:25:49,960 --> 00:25:53,710
of his mission into space until the
moment that he is on the launch pad.
332
00:25:53,800 --> 00:25:55,880
I want you to imagine
that all he has
333
00:25:55,960 --> 00:25:58,670
is a list of instructions
that he has never seen before,
334
00:25:58,760 --> 00:26:01,210
some of which have been crossed out.
335
00:26:01,300 --> 00:26:03,210
This is exactly
what was happening
336
00:26:03,300 --> 00:26:04,920
in the control room of Reactor 4.
337
00:26:05,010 --> 00:26:08,380
The night shift had not been
trained to perform the experiment.
338
00:26:08,460 --> 00:26:11,210
They hadn't even been
warned it was happening.
339
00:26:11,300 --> 00:26:13,090
Leonid Toptunov,
340
00:26:13,170 --> 00:26:16,710
the operator responsible
for controlling and stabilizing
341
00:26:16,800 --> 00:26:21,960
the reactor that night was...
all of 25 years old.
342
00:26:23,210 --> 00:26:26,340
And his total experience
on the job?
343
00:26:26,420 --> 00:26:28,130
Four months.
344
00:26:29,210 --> 00:26:32,170
This is the human problem
created by the delay.
345
00:26:33,090 --> 00:26:35,880
But inside the reactor core,
346
00:26:35,960 --> 00:26:38,090
in the space between
the atoms themselves,
347
00:26:38,170 --> 00:26:41,420
something far more
dangerous is forming.
348
00:26:41,510 --> 00:26:42,960
A poison.
349
00:26:44,630 --> 00:26:46,840
The time is 28 past midnight.
350
00:27:05,010 --> 00:27:07,340
Comrade Legasov.
351
00:27:44,380 --> 00:27:46,800
I'm pleased to see some
of my colleagues here
352
00:27:46,880 --> 00:27:50,630
from the Kurchatov Institute
and Minenergo.
353
00:27:50,710 --> 00:27:53,090
But you don't need
to be a nuclear scientist
354
00:27:53,170 --> 00:27:56,210
to understand what
happened at Chernobyl.
355
00:27:56,300 --> 00:27:58,300
You only need to know this:
356
00:27:58,380 --> 00:28:00,960
there are essentially
two things that happen
357
00:28:01,050 --> 00:28:03,670
inside a nuclear reactor.
358
00:28:03,760 --> 00:28:06,300
The reactivity
which generates power
359
00:28:06,380 --> 00:28:10,260
either goes up, or it goes down.
360
00:28:10,340 --> 00:28:11,760
That's it.
361
00:28:11,840 --> 00:28:16,090
All the operators do
is maintain balance.
362
00:28:18,010 --> 00:28:19,880
Uranium fuel.
363
00:28:21,710 --> 00:28:24,760
As uranium atoms
split apart and collide,
364
00:28:24,840 --> 00:28:26,380
reactivity goes up.
365
00:28:26,460 --> 00:28:28,670
But if you don't
balance the reactivity,
366
00:28:28,760 --> 00:28:30,960
it never stops rising. So...
367
00:28:32,880 --> 00:28:35,210
Boron control rods.
368
00:28:35,300 --> 00:28:39,920
They reduce reactivity
like brakes on a car.
369
00:28:41,460 --> 00:28:45,460
But there's a third factor
to consider: water.
370
00:28:46,840 --> 00:28:49,340
Cool water takes heat
out of the system.
371
00:28:49,420 --> 00:28:52,760
As it does, it turns to steam,
or what we call a "void."
372
00:28:52,840 --> 00:28:56,260
In an RBMK reactor of
the type used at Chernobyl,
373
00:28:56,340 --> 00:29:00,380
there's something called
a "positive void coefficient."
374
00:29:00,460 --> 00:29:02,210
What does that mean?
375
00:29:02,300 --> 00:29:06,760
It means that the more steam
present within the system,
376
00:29:06,840 --> 00:29:08,840
the higher the reactivity,
377
00:29:08,920 --> 00:29:11,960
which means more heat,
which means more steam,
378
00:29:12,050 --> 00:29:13,590
which means...
379
00:29:13,670 --> 00:29:17,590
It would appear we have
a vicious cycle on our hands.
380
00:29:17,670 --> 00:29:20,550
And we would,
were it not for this...
381
00:29:26,170 --> 00:29:31,960
And we would,
were it not for this:
382
00:29:32,050 --> 00:29:35,460
the negative temperature
coefficient.
383
00:29:35,550 --> 00:29:41,550
When nuclear fuel gets hotter,
it gets less reactive, so...
384
00:29:42,800 --> 00:29:45,170
fuel increases reactivity.
385
00:29:45,260 --> 00:29:48,210
Control rods and water reduce it.
386
00:29:48,300 --> 00:29:50,590
Steam increases it,
387
00:29:50,670 --> 00:29:53,960
and the rise in temperature reduces it.
388
00:29:54,050 --> 00:29:57,670
This is the invisible dance
389
00:29:57,760 --> 00:30:01,590
that powers entire cities
without smoke or flame.
390
00:30:01,670 --> 00:30:04,960
And it is beautiful
391
00:30:05,050 --> 00:30:07,050
when things are normal.
392
00:30:08,340 --> 00:30:11,210
As uranium splits apart
to release energy,
393
00:30:11,300 --> 00:30:14,800
it breaks down into
a new element, xenon.
394
00:30:14,880 --> 00:30:17,760
Xenon reduces reactivity.
395
00:30:17,840 --> 00:30:21,260
This is the poison
Comrade Khomyuk mentioned.
396
00:30:21,340 --> 00:30:23,300
When the core is
running at full power,
397
00:30:23,380 --> 00:30:26,380
it burns the xenon away
before it can cause a problem.
398
00:30:26,460 --> 00:30:28,590
But because of the delay,
399
00:30:28,670 --> 00:30:32,550
Chernobyl Reactor 4 has
been held at half power
400
00:30:32,630 --> 00:30:34,210
for ten hours.
401
00:30:34,300 --> 00:30:37,050
The xenon did not burn away.
402
00:30:38,380 --> 00:30:42,760
It built up, poisoning the core.
403
00:30:42,840 --> 00:30:44,510
We're starting to lose balance.
404
00:30:44,590 --> 00:30:48,670
At 28 minutes past midnight,
405
00:30:48,760 --> 00:30:52,170
the reactor is now
primed to slow down.
406
00:30:52,260 --> 00:30:55,760
And yet, in less than an hour,
it will explode.
407
00:30:55,840 --> 00:30:59,630
If you can't understand
how a stalled nuclear reactor
408
00:30:59,710 --> 00:31:02,420
could lead to an explosion,
I don't blame you.
409
00:31:02,510 --> 00:31:04,550
After all, you don't work
in the control room
410
00:31:04,630 --> 00:31:06,380
of a nuclear power plant.
411
00:31:06,460 --> 00:31:11,880
But as it turned out,
the men who did
412
00:31:11,960 --> 00:31:14,170
didn't understand it either.
413
00:31:20,170 --> 00:31:21,630
Easy now.
414
00:31:21,710 --> 00:31:23,710
Take it down.
415
00:31:23,800 --> 00:31:25,880
Good. Like that.
416
00:31:25,960 --> 00:31:27,420
You should have finished by now.
417
00:31:27,510 --> 00:31:29,550
We're following protocol
for reduction rate.
418
00:31:29,630 --> 00:31:31,260
You're procrastinating.
419
00:31:31,340 --> 00:31:33,880
There are ten other men in this
plant who would've done it already.
420
00:31:33,960 --> 00:31:36,630
Keep working.
You're doing fine.
421
00:31:45,630 --> 00:31:49,340
Kirschenbaum, come get me
when these old women are ready.
422
00:31:49,420 --> 00:31:50,840
Yes, Comrade Dyatlov.
423
00:32:09,960 --> 00:32:11,710
Okay, very slow now.
424
00:32:11,800 --> 00:32:14,710
Let's ease it down to 700.
425
00:32:17,760 --> 00:32:21,670
- Whoa, whoa, whoa. Slow.
- I-I didn't move any rods there.
426
00:32:30,710 --> 00:32:34,380
- What is this?
- I'm not even touching it.
427
00:32:59,090 --> 00:33:01,760
We did everything right.
I think that maybe the core is poisoned.
428
00:33:01,840 --> 00:33:03,300
Well, if you thought
the core was poisoned,
429
00:33:03,380 --> 00:33:04,550
then you didn't
do everything right,
430
00:33:04,630 --> 00:33:06,010
because you're
choking my reactor!
431
00:33:06,090 --> 00:33:06,960
Get it back up!
432
00:33:07,050 --> 00:33:09,340
Uh, I think if we turn off LAC,
433
00:33:09,420 --> 00:33:11,260
it may be possible
to get more control.
434
00:33:11,340 --> 00:33:14,170
- Do it. Go.
- Switch off local automatic control.
435
00:33:14,260 --> 00:33:17,050
Go to global.
Leonid.
436
00:33:17,130 --> 00:33:19,840
LAC disabled.
Global control activated.
437
00:33:25,920 --> 00:33:27,420
What did you do?
438
00:33:28,170 --> 00:33:31,090
- I-I did what you said. I switched...
- Look at it!
439
00:33:32,170 --> 00:33:34,550
- I don't understand.
- Fucking amateurs.
440
00:33:34,630 --> 00:33:36,420
You stalled the reactor.
441
00:33:36,510 --> 00:33:38,340
How the fuck did
you get this job?
442
00:33:38,420 --> 00:33:41,050
- Comrade Dyatlov...
- You're gonna tell me you did everything right again,
443
00:33:41,130 --> 00:33:42,630
you incompetent asshole?
444
00:33:42,710 --> 00:33:46,090
I apologize for this
unsatisfactory result.
445
00:33:50,880 --> 00:33:54,590
- What are you doing?
- We have to shut all the way down.
446
00:33:54,670 --> 00:33:57,130
- No.
- We could be in a xenon pit.
447
00:33:57,210 --> 00:33:58,590
We have to shut down
and wait for 24 hours.
448
00:33:58,670 --> 00:34:00,800
No. We're doing the test
tonight. Raise power to 700.
449
00:34:00,880 --> 00:34:02,170
We can't raise
the power from here.
450
00:34:02,260 --> 00:34:03,840
- The rules...
- Don't talk to me about rules.
451
00:34:03,920 --> 00:34:06,090
- If we fall from 80%...
- No, no. We fell from 50%.
452
00:34:06,170 --> 00:34:08,460
- Fifty percent is worse!
- The rules don't say 50!
453
00:34:08,550 --> 00:34:11,710
- There is no rule!
- Comrade Dyatlov,
454
00:34:11,800 --> 00:34:13,840
I apologize, but what you're
saying makes no sense.
455
00:34:13,920 --> 00:34:16,550
- Raise the power.
- No.
456
00:34:16,630 --> 00:34:19,590
I won't do it.
It isn't safe.
457
00:34:28,420 --> 00:34:31,300
Safety first. Always.
458
00:34:31,380 --> 00:34:34,380
I've been saying that for 25 years.
459
00:34:34,460 --> 00:34:36,510
That's how long I've done this job,
25 years.
460
00:34:36,590 --> 00:34:38,050
Is that longer than you, Akimov?
461
00:34:38,130 --> 00:34:39,050
Yes.
462
00:34:39,130 --> 00:34:41,210
- Is it much longer?
- Yes.
463
00:34:41,300 --> 00:34:44,420
And you with your mother's
tit barely out of your mouth?
464
00:34:46,550 --> 00:34:48,710
So if I say it's safe,
it's safe.
465
00:34:48,800 --> 00:34:50,130
And if the two of you disagree,
466
00:34:50,210 --> 00:34:52,130
then you don't have to work
here and you won't.
467
00:34:52,210 --> 00:34:54,090
But not just here.
You won't work at Kursk
468
00:34:54,170 --> 00:34:56,760
or Ignalina or Leningrad
or Novo-Voronezh.
469
00:34:56,840 --> 00:35:00,210
You won't work anywhere ever again.
I'll see to it.
470
00:35:00,300 --> 00:35:03,050
I think you know
I will see to it.
471
00:35:04,510 --> 00:35:06,010
Raise the power.
472
00:35:09,260 --> 00:35:11,170
I would like you
to record your command.
473
00:35:12,340 --> 00:35:13,670
Raise the power.
474
00:35:29,260 --> 00:35:30,630
Together, then.
475
00:35:34,210 --> 00:35:35,880
I wasn't even there.
476
00:35:35,960 --> 00:35:38,210
What?
477
00:35:40,090 --> 00:35:42,590
I wasn't in the room
when they raised the power.
478
00:35:42,670 --> 00:35:44,630
If you weren't there,
then where were you?
479
00:35:44,710 --> 00:35:47,710
Comrade Legasov, you are a
witness, not a prosecutor.
480
00:35:47,800 --> 00:35:50,300
I will ask the questions here.
481
00:35:50,380 --> 00:35:53,550
If you weren't in the room,
then where were you?
482
00:35:55,760 --> 00:35:57,050
The toilet.
483
00:35:58,880 --> 00:36:00,760
The toilet?
484
00:36:01,710 --> 00:36:03,510
Comrade Khomyuk interviewed everyone
485
00:36:03,590 --> 00:36:05,050
who was in the control room that night.
486
00:36:05,130 --> 00:36:07,090
They all told the same story.
487
00:36:10,420 --> 00:36:13,170
"I knew what Dyatlov ordered was wrong,
488
00:36:13,260 --> 00:36:16,130
but if I didn't do what he said,
I would be fired."
489
00:36:16,210 --> 00:36:18,260
Leonid Toptunov.
490
00:36:19,380 --> 00:36:21,840
One day before he died.
491
00:36:21,920 --> 00:36:23,840
No, Comrade Dyatlov,
you were in the room.
492
00:36:23,920 --> 00:36:25,670
You ordered them to raise the power.
493
00:36:25,760 --> 00:36:28,300
This is a fact.
494
00:36:37,050 --> 00:36:38,710
Court is now in recess.
495
00:36:38,800 --> 00:36:40,300
Thirty minutes.
496
00:37:23,510 --> 00:37:26,630
Do you know anything
about this town, Chernobyl?
497
00:37:28,090 --> 00:37:29,630
Not really, no.
498
00:37:30,800 --> 00:37:33,460
It was mostly Jews and Poles.
499
00:37:34,800 --> 00:37:36,590
The Jews were killed in pogroms,
500
00:37:36,670 --> 00:37:39,170
and Stalin forced the Poles out.
501
00:37:39,260 --> 00:37:42,760
And then the Nazis came
and killed whoever was left.
502
00:37:42,840 --> 00:37:44,880
But after the war...
503
00:37:46,130 --> 00:37:48,340
people came to live here anyway.
504
00:37:49,380 --> 00:37:53,090
They knew the ground under
their feet was soaked in blood,
505
00:37:53,170 --> 00:37:54,880
but they didn't care.
506
00:37:56,210 --> 00:37:59,340
Dead Jews, dead Poles.
507
00:37:59,420 --> 00:38:01,010
But not them.
508
00:38:04,010 --> 00:38:07,170
No one ever thinks it's going
to happen to them.
509
00:38:08,550 --> 00:38:10,010
And here we are.
510
00:38:19,550 --> 00:38:21,590
How much time?
511
00:38:21,670 --> 00:38:23,050
Maybe a year.
512
00:38:23,130 --> 00:38:26,460
They call it a...
513
00:38:26,550 --> 00:38:28,760
They call it a "long illness."
514
00:38:28,840 --> 00:38:31,630
It doesn't seem very long to me.
515
00:38:31,710 --> 00:38:34,260
I know you told me,
and I believed you.
516
00:38:35,340 --> 00:38:37,130
But time passed, and I thought,
517
00:38:37,210 --> 00:38:39,840
it wouldn't happen to me.
518
00:38:40,760 --> 00:38:42,710
I wasted it.
519
00:38:42,800 --> 00:38:45,590
I wasted it all for nothing.
520
00:38:47,210 --> 00:38:48,880
For nothing?
521
00:38:49,760 --> 00:38:52,710
Do you remember that morning
when I first called you,
522
00:38:52,800 --> 00:38:54,590
how unconcerned I was?
523
00:38:54,670 --> 00:38:56,550
I don't believe much that
comes out of the Kremlin,
524
00:38:56,630 --> 00:38:58,590
but when they told me
they were putting me
525
00:38:58,670 --> 00:39:01,840
in charge of the cleanup
526
00:39:01,920 --> 00:39:04,880
and they said it wasn't serious,
I believed them.
527
00:39:06,460 --> 00:39:08,210
You know why?
528
00:39:09,260 --> 00:39:11,510
Because they put you in charge.
529
00:39:11,590 --> 00:39:13,090
Yeah.
530
00:39:16,050 --> 00:39:19,130
I'm an inconsequential man, Valera.
531
00:39:19,210 --> 00:39:21,090
That's all I've ever been.
532
00:39:22,260 --> 00:39:25,380
I hoped that one day
I would matter, but I didn't.
533
00:39:27,300 --> 00:39:30,630
I just stood next to people who did.
534
00:39:32,710 --> 00:39:35,090
There are other scientists like me.
535
00:39:35,170 --> 00:39:37,670
Any one of them could
have done what I did.
536
00:39:37,760 --> 00:39:39,090
But you...
537
00:39:40,010 --> 00:39:43,920
Everything we asked for,
everything we needed.
538
00:39:45,340 --> 00:39:49,130
Men, material, lunar rovers.
539
00:39:51,460 --> 00:39:53,630
Who else could have
done these things?
540
00:39:55,710 --> 00:39:59,050
They heard me,
but they listened to you.
541
00:39:59,130 --> 00:40:03,090
Of all the ministers
and all the deputies...
542
00:40:03,170 --> 00:40:07,710
Entire congregation
of obedient fools...
543
00:40:07,800 --> 00:40:11,840
They mistakenly sent
the one good man.
544
00:40:11,920 --> 00:40:13,920
For god's sake, Boris,
545
00:40:14,010 --> 00:40:17,460
you were the one
who mattered most.
546
00:40:40,510 --> 00:40:42,340
Ah, it's beautiful.
547
00:41:24,010 --> 00:41:26,210
Comrade Legasov.
548
00:41:38,550 --> 00:41:41,550
The time is 38 past midnight.
549
00:41:41,630 --> 00:41:43,630
The reactor is nearly shut down.
550
00:41:43,710 --> 00:41:46,340
The operators of Reactor 4
are locked on a path
551
00:41:46,420 --> 00:41:48,380
that leads directly to disaster.
552
00:41:48,460 --> 00:41:50,670
There's no way to turn back.
553
00:41:50,760 --> 00:41:53,420
They do not yet know it,
but the die is cast.
554
00:41:53,510 --> 00:41:57,760
At 30 megawatts,
xenon is still being created,
555
00:41:57,840 --> 00:42:00,090
but none of it is burning away.
556
00:42:01,800 --> 00:42:03,670
The reactor is drowning in poison.
557
00:42:03,760 --> 00:42:08,170
To make matters worse,
the reactor isn't hot enough
558
00:42:08,260 --> 00:42:11,050
to produce sufficient steam.
559
00:42:12,670 --> 00:42:15,510
The only way to safely raise
power from this state
560
00:42:15,590 --> 00:42:17,880
is to do it very, very slowly
561
00:42:17,960 --> 00:42:20,760
over the course of 24 hours.
562
00:42:20,840 --> 00:42:23,380
But Dyatlov wants it done now.
563
00:42:23,460 --> 00:42:27,840
Akimov and Toptunov have
only one course of action.
564
00:42:27,960 --> 00:42:30,710
They begin pulling
control rods out.
565
00:42:30,800 --> 00:42:31,920
Dozens at a time.
566
00:42:32,010 --> 00:42:35,050
Halfway out,
three-quarters of the way out,
567
00:42:35,130 --> 00:42:37,880
still, the power does not budge.
568
00:42:37,960 --> 00:42:40,670
So they begin pulling
them all the way out.
569
00:42:40,760 --> 00:42:44,550
There were 211 control rods
in Reactor 4.
570
00:42:44,630 --> 00:42:49,260
Akimov and Toptunov
completely withdrew 205.
571
00:42:49,340 --> 00:42:54,010
Remember... control rods are
the brakes on this car.
572
00:42:54,090 --> 00:43:00,840
Of 211 rods, only six
now remain in the reactor.
573
00:43:02,260 --> 00:43:04,880
As for the fuel, it's gone cold,
574
00:43:04,960 --> 00:43:07,050
so the negative
temperature coefficient
575
00:43:07,130 --> 00:43:09,590
is no longer weighing
down the reactivity.
576
00:43:09,670 --> 00:43:13,590
But even still, the xenon
poisoning is so strong,
577
00:43:13,670 --> 00:43:17,840
the best they can do is raise
the power to 200 megawatts.
578
00:43:17,920 --> 00:43:20,880
The control rods are out.
579
00:43:20,960 --> 00:43:23,420
The emergency system
has been disconnected.
580
00:43:23,510 --> 00:43:25,760
The only thing keeping
the reactor in check
581
00:43:25,840 --> 00:43:28,300
is water and xenon.
582
00:43:28,380 --> 00:43:32,630
It's one in the morning.
The test is minutes away.
583
00:44:06,920 --> 00:44:09,380
I'm sorry, this is
all we can get.
584
00:44:09,460 --> 00:44:12,420
It's 200 megawatts.
We've pulled almost everything out.
585
00:44:12,510 --> 00:44:14,010
If that's all we have,
that's all we have.
586
00:44:14,090 --> 00:44:17,960
- But the test requires 700.
- Stolyarchuk, let's get ready.
587
00:44:18,050 --> 00:44:19,630
- Switch on pump 4.
- No, wait a second.
588
00:44:19,710 --> 00:44:21,510
- Stolyarchuk...
- We have barely enough steam as it is.
589
00:44:21,590 --> 00:44:24,130
The turbine is going too slow for the
test to deliver any valid results.
590
00:44:24,210 --> 00:44:26,090
- It's enough.
- And if we add more water, there will be even less...
591
00:44:26,170 --> 00:44:28,130
I said it's enough.
I know what I'm doing.
592
00:44:28,210 --> 00:44:29,670
Stolyarchuk.
593
00:44:35,210 --> 00:44:36,760
Main Pump 4, connected.
594
00:44:36,840 --> 00:44:38,630
We should warn Khodemchuk.
The pipes are gonna be...
595
00:44:38,710 --> 00:44:40,420
Never mind him.
Kirschenbaum?
596
00:44:43,420 --> 00:44:46,170
The steam in the separator drum
is too low... five atmospheres.
597
00:44:46,260 --> 00:44:49,090
All right, let's all help him.
Get it up as best you can.
598
00:44:53,130 --> 00:44:55,010
We should stop.
599
00:44:55,090 --> 00:44:56,760
Turn that fucking thing off.
600
00:44:56,840 --> 00:44:59,760
You have 15 minutes.
601
00:45:01,590 --> 00:45:03,710
Fifteen minutes.
602
00:45:03,800 --> 00:45:06,460
They may as well have had 15 days.
603
00:45:06,550 --> 00:45:09,380
The problem they were facing
was not solvable.
604
00:45:09,460 --> 00:45:12,170
The power was too low,
the water was too high.
605
00:45:12,260 --> 00:45:13,840
The test was already ruined.
606
00:45:13,920 --> 00:45:15,550
The results would have been useless,
607
00:45:15,630 --> 00:45:17,130
but Dyatlov didn't care.
608
00:45:17,210 --> 00:45:20,590
All he wanted to do was
report a completed test.
609
00:45:21,510 --> 00:45:23,550
1:22 a.m.
610
00:45:23,630 --> 00:45:26,590
Less than two minutes remain.
611
00:45:26,670 --> 00:45:32,170
Yuvchenko, a mechanical engineer,
is in his office.
612
00:45:35,510 --> 00:45:37,880
Perevozchenko,
reactor section foreman,
613
00:45:37,960 --> 00:45:39,590
is in the refueling hall,
614
00:45:39,670 --> 00:45:44,300
high above the 1,000-ton
steel reactor cover.
615
00:45:44,380 --> 00:45:47,670
Degtaryenko and Khodemchuk,
616
00:45:47,760 --> 00:45:50,840
circulation operators,
are in the pump room.
617
00:45:52,960 --> 00:45:54,710
None of them have been told
618
00:45:54,800 --> 00:45:56,090
about the test.
619
00:45:56,170 --> 00:45:58,130
None of them know
what is about to happen.
620
00:45:58,210 --> 00:46:02,510
At 1:22 and 30 seconds,
621
00:46:02,590 --> 00:46:04,630
Toptunov sees a report
622
00:46:04,710 --> 00:46:08,670
from the reactor's
SKALA computer system.
623
00:46:08,760 --> 00:46:12,050
Based on the absence
of sufficient control rods,
624
00:46:12,130 --> 00:46:15,670
the computer is recommending
that the reactor be shut down.
625
00:46:20,880 --> 00:46:22,550
Well,
of course it's saying that.
626
00:46:22,630 --> 00:46:24,630
It doesn't know
we're running a test.
627
00:46:26,010 --> 00:46:27,300
All right, comrades.
628
00:46:28,840 --> 00:46:31,420
Another few minutes,
it will all be over.
629
00:46:31,510 --> 00:46:33,050
Kirschenbaum, when you're ready.
630
00:46:34,210 --> 00:46:35,630
We did everything right.
631
00:46:37,800 --> 00:46:40,170
Oscillograph on.
632
00:46:41,420 --> 00:46:43,960
Closing Number 8 throttle valve.
633
00:46:44,050 --> 00:46:45,670
Generator
rotor beginning rundown.
634
00:46:45,760 --> 00:46:49,630
1:23 and four seconds.
635
00:46:49,710 --> 00:46:51,050
With every decision,
636
00:46:51,130 --> 00:46:53,550
they have pulled this reactor
back like a slingshot,
637
00:46:53,630 --> 00:46:55,880
further than anyone
has ever pulled,
638
00:46:55,960 --> 00:46:58,300
now the test begins.
639
00:46:58,380 --> 00:47:02,050
The pumps are shut down,
and they've let go.
640
00:47:04,510 --> 00:47:07,760
The pumps stop moving water
through the reactor.
641
00:47:07,840 --> 00:47:11,010
Uranium fuel is now
unchecked by fresh coolant,
642
00:47:11,090 --> 00:47:12,920
unchecked by control rods.
643
00:47:13,010 --> 00:47:16,130
The balance immediately swings
in the opposite direction.
644
00:47:16,210 --> 00:47:17,630
In less than a second,
645
00:47:17,710 --> 00:47:19,550
reactivity increases.
646
00:47:20,760 --> 00:47:22,010
Inside the core,
647
00:47:22,090 --> 00:47:24,550
the remaining water is
quickly converting to steam.
648
00:47:24,630 --> 00:47:26,710
A void is being created.
649
00:47:26,800 --> 00:47:29,420
There is no fresh water to replace it.
650
00:47:29,510 --> 00:47:32,420
Steam increases reactivity,
651
00:47:32,510 --> 00:47:35,840
increases heat, increases steam,
652
00:47:35,920 --> 00:47:38,670
increases reactivity.
653
00:47:38,760 --> 00:47:42,050
The remaining xenon decays away.
654
00:47:43,380 --> 00:47:45,460
The power is rising.
655
00:47:47,050 --> 00:47:48,880
There's nothing left to stop it.
656
00:47:48,960 --> 00:47:53,550
1:23 and 35 seconds.
657
00:47:56,760 --> 00:47:59,090
We have a power surge! Sasha!
658
00:48:04,340 --> 00:48:05,460
What did you do?!
659
00:48:05,550 --> 00:48:10,300
1:23 and 40 seconds.
660
00:48:17,300 --> 00:48:19,840
In every control room of every
nuclear reactor in the world,
661
00:48:19,920 --> 00:48:23,090
there is a button
with one single purpose...
662
00:48:23,170 --> 00:48:26,550
To "scram," or instantly
shut down, the reaction.
663
00:48:26,630 --> 00:48:30,170
In Soviet reactors,
that button is called AZ-5.
664
00:48:30,260 --> 00:48:35,210
You press AZ-5,
all of the control rods insert at once,
665
00:48:35,300 --> 00:48:39,380
and the reaction is stopped dead.
666
00:48:39,460 --> 00:48:41,300
But...
667
00:48:47,170 --> 00:48:50,840
What are you waiting for, Legasov?
Tell your lies.
668
00:48:50,920 --> 00:48:53,210
Comrade Dyatlov,
you will not be warned again.
669
00:48:53,300 --> 00:48:55,550
- Or what?
- For god's sake, Dyatlov.
670
00:48:55,630 --> 00:48:57,510
Legasov's already given it away.
671
00:48:57,590 --> 00:49:00,630
- He said before, there was no way to avoid what was coming.
- Comrade Dyatlov.
672
00:49:00,710 --> 00:49:03,710
- He knows something. She knows something.
- Comrade Dyatlov.
673
00:49:03,800 --> 00:49:07,420
I know what you are, Valery Alexeyevich.
674
00:49:07,510 --> 00:49:10,460
- You're a liar.
- We've heard enough for today.
675
00:49:10,550 --> 00:49:14,420
The defendants will be remanded in custody.
676
00:49:14,510 --> 00:49:17,510
- Court will...
- I... I haven't finished.
677
00:49:17,590 --> 00:49:19,630
I still have more
evidence to give.
678
00:49:19,710 --> 00:49:23,090
It's not necessary.
Your testimony is concluded.
679
00:49:23,170 --> 00:49:26,300
- Your Honor.
- Court is now adjourned.
680
00:49:26,380 --> 00:49:28,710
- We will resume tomorrow with...
- Let him finish.
681
00:49:31,380 --> 00:49:33,380
Comrade Shcherbina...
682
00:49:35,550 --> 00:49:37,880
Let him finish.
683
00:50:01,760 --> 00:50:04,170
Dyatlov broke every rule we have.
684
00:50:08,010 --> 00:50:11,420
He pushed a reactor
to the brink of destruction.
685
00:50:15,590 --> 00:50:18,210
He did these things believing
there was a failsafe.
686
00:50:18,300 --> 00:50:21,550
AZ-5, a simple button
to shut it all down.
687
00:50:21,630 --> 00:50:26,210
But in the circumstances
he created, there wasn't.
688
00:50:26,300 --> 00:50:29,760
The shutdown system
had a fatal flaw.
689
00:50:31,760 --> 00:50:37,260
At 1:23:40, Akimov engages AZ-5.
690
00:50:44,710 --> 00:50:46,460
The fully-withdrawn control rods
691
00:50:46,550 --> 00:50:48,670
begin moving back
into the reactor.
692
00:50:48,760 --> 00:50:51,630
These rods are made of boron,
which reduces reactivity,
693
00:50:51,710 --> 00:50:53,380
but not their tips.
694
00:50:53,460 --> 00:50:58,420
The tips are made of graphite,
which accelerates reactivity.
695
00:50:58,510 --> 00:51:00,300
Why?
696
00:51:04,170 --> 00:51:06,130
Why?
697
00:51:07,510 --> 00:51:10,010
For the same reason our reactors
698
00:51:10,090 --> 00:51:13,170
do not have containment
buildings around them,
699
00:51:13,260 --> 00:51:14,300
like those in the West.
700
00:51:14,380 --> 00:51:16,710
For the same reason we don't use
701
00:51:16,800 --> 00:51:19,340
properly enriched fuel
in our cores.
702
00:51:19,420 --> 00:51:21,710
For the same reason
we are the only nation
703
00:51:21,800 --> 00:51:26,090
that builds water-cooled,
graphite-moderated reactors
704
00:51:26,170 --> 00:51:29,300
with a positive void coefficient.
705
00:51:30,670 --> 00:51:31,760
It's cheaper.
706
00:51:38,130 --> 00:51:40,960
The first part
of the rods that enter the core
707
00:51:41,050 --> 00:51:42,300
are the graphite tips.
708
00:51:42,380 --> 00:51:44,760
And when they do,
the reaction in the core,
709
00:51:44,840 --> 00:51:47,510
which had been rising,
skyrockets.
710
00:51:47,590 --> 00:51:51,010
Every last molecule of liquid water
711
00:51:51,090 --> 00:51:52,710
instantly converts to steam,
712
00:51:52,800 --> 00:51:56,090
which expands and ruptures
a series of fuel rod channels.
713
00:51:56,170 --> 00:52:00,300
The control rods in those
channels can move no further.
714
00:52:00,380 --> 00:52:02,920
The graphite tips are fixed in position,
715
00:52:03,010 --> 00:52:05,800
endlessly accelerating the reaction.
716
00:52:05,880 --> 00:52:09,880
Chernobyl Reactor 4
is now a nuclear bomb.
717
00:52:09,960 --> 00:52:12,510
1:23:42.
718
00:52:12,590 --> 00:52:14,340
Perevozchenko looks down
719
00:52:14,420 --> 00:52:16,960
on the enormous steel lid of the reactor...
720
00:52:17,050 --> 00:52:18,960
...and sees the impossible.
721
00:52:19,050 --> 00:52:20,920
The control rod and fuel channel caps,
722
00:52:21,010 --> 00:52:23,090
which each weigh 350 kilograms,
723
00:52:23,170 --> 00:52:24,760
are jumping up and down.
724
00:52:24,840 --> 00:52:27,420
He runs to warn the control room.
725
00:52:27,510 --> 00:52:30,960
But there's nothing he can do
to stop what is coming.
726
00:52:31,050 --> 00:52:33,460
1:23 and 44 seconds.
727
00:52:33,550 --> 00:52:37,630
The steam blows more fuel channels apart.
728
00:52:37,710 --> 00:52:39,800
We do not know
how high the power went.
729
00:52:39,880 --> 00:52:42,170
We only know the final reading.
730
00:52:43,760 --> 00:52:44,800
Reactor 4,
731
00:52:44,880 --> 00:52:48,960
designed to operate at 3200 megawatts,
732
00:52:49,050 --> 00:52:52,710
went beyond 33,000.
733
00:52:57,210 --> 00:53:01,010
The pressure inside the core
can no longer be held back.
734
00:53:01,090 --> 00:53:08,800
At long last, we have arrived.
1:23:45, explosion.
735
00:53:08,880 --> 00:53:13,050
In the instant the lid is thrown
off the reactor, oxygen rushes in.
736
00:53:13,130 --> 00:53:17,590
It combines with hydrogen
and super-heated graphite.
737
00:53:19,340 --> 00:53:22,420
The chain of disaster
is now complete.
738
00:53:44,380 --> 00:53:46,510
Comrade Dyatlov!
739
00:53:51,300 --> 00:53:53,130
Comrade Dyatlov!
740
00:54:03,800 --> 00:54:06,710
No one in the
room that night knew
741
00:54:06,800 --> 00:54:10,260
the shutdown button
could act as a detonator.
742
00:54:11,800 --> 00:54:13,550
They didn't know it,
743
00:54:13,630 --> 00:54:16,550
because it was kept from them.
744
00:54:16,630 --> 00:54:19,090
Comrade Legasov,
you're contradicting
745
00:54:19,170 --> 00:54:21,510
your own testimony in Vienna.
746
00:54:21,590 --> 00:54:24,300
My testimony in Vienna was a lie.
747
00:54:24,380 --> 00:54:28,380
I lied to the world.
748
00:54:28,460 --> 00:54:30,800
I'm not the only one
who kept this secret.
749
00:54:30,880 --> 00:54:33,090
There are many.
750
00:54:33,170 --> 00:54:35,880
We were following orders,
751
00:54:35,960 --> 00:54:37,550
from the KGB,
from the Central Committee.
752
00:54:37,630 --> 00:54:40,300
And right now, there are 16
reactors in the Soviet Union
753
00:54:40,380 --> 00:54:42,840
with the same fatal flaw.
754
00:54:42,920 --> 00:54:44,760
Three of them are still running
755
00:54:44,840 --> 00:54:47,130
less than 20 kilometers
away at Chernobyl.
756
00:54:47,210 --> 00:54:51,260
Professor Legasov, if you mean
to suggest the Soviet State
757
00:54:51,340 --> 00:54:53,090
is somehow responsible
for what happened,
758
00:54:53,170 --> 00:54:55,920
then I must warn you, you are
treading on dangerous ground.
759
00:54:56,010 --> 00:54:58,340
I've already trod
on dangerous ground.
760
00:54:58,420 --> 00:55:00,460
We're on dangerous
ground right now,
761
00:55:00,550 --> 00:55:03,300
because of our secrets
and our lies.
762
00:55:03,380 --> 00:55:06,460
They're practically
what define us.
763
00:55:06,550 --> 00:55:09,670
When the truth offends,
we lie and lie
764
00:55:09,760 --> 00:55:12,130
until we can no longer
remember it is even there.
765
00:55:12,210 --> 00:55:15,210
But it is still there.
766
00:55:17,380 --> 00:55:21,710
Every lie we tell incurs
a debt to the truth.
767
00:55:23,840 --> 00:55:26,710
Sooner or later,
that debt is paid.
768
00:55:30,880 --> 00:55:36,420
That is how an RBMK reactor core explodes.
769
00:55:40,090 --> 00:55:41,630
Lies.
770
00:57:45,590 --> 00:57:48,630
Valery Alexeyevich Legasov,
771
00:57:48,710 --> 00:57:51,760
son of Alexei Legasov,
772
00:57:51,840 --> 00:57:55,300
Head of Ideological Compliance,
Central Committee.
773
00:57:55,380 --> 00:57:57,380
Do you know
what your father did there?
774
00:57:57,460 --> 00:57:58,920
Yes.
775
00:57:59,010 --> 00:58:02,960
As a student, you had a
leadership position in Komsomol.
776
00:58:03,050 --> 00:58:05,380
Communist Youth, correct?
777
00:58:06,380 --> 00:58:08,800
- You already know.
- Answer the question.
778
00:58:08,880 --> 00:58:10,050
Yes.
779
00:58:11,840 --> 00:58:13,960
At the Kuchartov Institute,
780
00:58:14,050 --> 00:58:16,670
you were the Communist Party secretary.
781
00:58:16,760 --> 00:58:18,170
In the position, you limited
782
00:58:18,260 --> 00:58:21,170
the promotion of Jewish scientists.
783
00:58:25,630 --> 00:58:27,010
Yes.
784
00:58:27,090 --> 00:58:30,760
To curry favor with Kremlin officials.
785
00:58:35,420 --> 00:58:37,710
You're one of us, Legasov.
786
00:58:39,130 --> 00:58:41,550
I can do anything
I want with you.
787
00:58:42,760 --> 00:58:46,840
But what I want most is
for you to know that I know.
788
00:58:46,920 --> 00:58:49,300
You're not brave.
789
00:58:49,380 --> 00:58:51,590
You're not heroic.
790
00:58:53,090 --> 00:58:56,340
You're just a dying man
who forgot himself.
791
00:58:56,420 --> 00:59:00,130
I know who I am,
and I know what I've done.
792
00:59:02,710 --> 00:59:05,090
In a just world,
I'd be shot for my lies,
793
00:59:05,170 --> 00:59:08,340
but not for this,
not for the truth.
794
00:59:08,420 --> 00:59:10,550
Scientists...
795
00:59:10,630 --> 00:59:14,380
and your idiot obsessions
with reasons.
796
00:59:14,460 --> 00:59:16,710
When the bullet hits your skull,
797
00:59:16,800 --> 00:59:19,340
what will it matter why?
798
00:59:26,590 --> 00:59:29,130
No one's getting shot, Legasov.
799
00:59:30,630 --> 00:59:32,960
The whole world
saw you in Vienna.
800
00:59:33,050 --> 00:59:35,210
It would be embarrassing
to kill you now.
801
00:59:35,300 --> 00:59:36,760
And for what?
802
00:59:36,840 --> 00:59:40,630
Your testimony today will
not be accepted by the State.
803
00:59:40,710 --> 00:59:43,760
It will not be
disseminated in the press.
804
00:59:43,840 --> 00:59:45,800
It never happened.
805
00:59:47,090 --> 00:59:50,050
No, you will live,
806
00:59:50,130 --> 00:59:51,920
however long you have,
807
00:59:52,010 --> 00:59:55,710
but not as a scientist,
not anymore.
808
00:59:55,800 --> 01:00:00,340
You'll keep your title and your office,
809
01:00:00,420 --> 01:00:05,340
but no duties, no authority, no friends.
810
01:00:05,420 --> 01:00:07,510
No one will talk to you.
811
01:00:07,590 --> 01:00:09,510
No one will listen to you.
812
01:00:11,460 --> 01:00:15,760
Other men, lesser men,
813
01:00:15,840 --> 01:00:19,510
will receive credit for
the things you have done.
814
01:00:19,590 --> 01:00:21,880
Your legacy is now their legacy.
815
01:00:21,960 --> 01:00:24,710
You'll live long enough
to see that.
816
01:00:28,130 --> 01:00:30,550
What role did
Shcherbina play in this?
817
01:00:30,630 --> 01:00:31,760
None.
818
01:00:31,840 --> 01:00:34,380
He didn't know
what I was gonna say.
819
01:00:35,670 --> 01:00:38,760
What role did
Khomyuk play in this?
820
01:00:38,840 --> 01:00:40,300
None.
821
01:00:40,380 --> 01:00:42,880
She didn't know either.
822
01:00:44,260 --> 01:00:46,630
After all you've said
and done today,
823
01:00:46,710 --> 01:00:52,670
it would be curious
if you chose this moment to lie.
824
01:00:55,590 --> 01:00:57,460
I would think a man
of your experience
825
01:00:57,550 --> 01:00:59,880
would know a lie
when he hears one.
826
01:01:04,050 --> 01:01:05,340
You will not meet or communicate
827
01:01:05,420 --> 01:01:07,590
with either one
of them ever again.
828
01:01:07,670 --> 01:01:10,170
You will not communicate
with anyone
829
01:01:10,260 --> 01:01:12,380
about Chernobyl ever again.
830
01:01:13,420 --> 01:01:15,840
You will remain so immaterial
to the world around you
831
01:01:15,920 --> 01:01:17,710
that when you finally do die,
832
01:01:17,800 --> 01:01:22,090
it will be exceedingly hard to
know that you ever lived at all.
833
01:01:26,420 --> 01:01:28,260
What if I refuse?
834
01:01:31,420 --> 01:01:34,510
Why worry about something
that isn't going to happen?
835
01:01:35,920 --> 01:01:39,920
"Why worry about something
that isn't going to happen?"
836
01:01:40,010 --> 01:01:42,260
Oh, that's perfect.
837
01:01:42,340 --> 01:01:45,420
They should put that
on our money.
838
01:02:54,510 --> 01:02:58,590
To be a
scientist is to be naive.
839
01:02:58,670 --> 01:03:00,920
We are so focused on
our search for truth,
840
01:03:01,010 --> 01:03:05,630
we fail to consider how few
actually want us to find it.
841
01:03:05,710 --> 01:03:10,090
But it is always there,
whether we see it or not,
842
01:03:10,170 --> 01:03:12,010
whether we choose to or not.
843
01:03:12,090 --> 01:03:14,840
The truth doesn't care
about our needs or wants.
844
01:03:14,920 --> 01:03:16,630
It doesn't care
about our governments,
845
01:03:16,710 --> 01:03:20,420
our ideologies, our religions.
846
01:03:20,510 --> 01:03:24,130
It will lie in wait
for all time.
847
01:03:24,210 --> 01:03:28,130
And this, at last,
is the gift of Chernobyl.
848
01:03:28,210 --> 01:03:30,840
Where I once would fear
the cost of truth,
849
01:03:30,920 --> 01:03:33,710
now I only ask:
850
01:03:34,710 --> 01:03:37,550
What is the cost of lies?
851
01:12:24,670 --> 01:12:27,420
Why worry about something
that isn't going to happen?
852
01:12:28,590 --> 01:12:29,920
Oh, that's perfect.
853
01:12:30,840 --> 01:12:32,590
They should put that on our money.
854
01:12:36,010 --> 01:12:38,340
What's really interesting is how
855
01:12:38,420 --> 01:12:40,710
the ideology of the Soviet Union...
856
01:12:40,800 --> 01:12:43,510
The idea of a system
that was infallible,
857
01:12:43,590 --> 01:12:44,670
and the fear of people
858
01:12:44,760 --> 01:12:46,670
to point out any flaws
or mistakes,
859
01:12:46,760 --> 01:12:47,840
everything had to be perfect.
860
01:12:48,050 --> 01:12:49,880
You had to pretend
it was perfect.
861
01:12:50,260 --> 01:12:52,630
Any system with too strong
an ideology,
862
01:12:52,880 --> 01:12:55,260
whether it's the idea
of a perfect nation
863
01:12:55,340 --> 01:12:56,760
or a perfect belief,
864
01:12:57,510 --> 01:12:59,840
leads to exclusion of facts.
865
01:13:05,210 --> 01:13:09,670
The West is now satisfied that
Chernobyl was solely the result
866
01:13:09,760 --> 01:13:12,130
of operator error,
which it essentially was.
867
01:13:13,010 --> 01:13:14,380
What you start to look at
868
01:13:14,460 --> 01:13:16,840
all the different causes
of this accident to happen,
869
01:13:16,920 --> 01:13:20,590
it's this sort of accumulation
of that kind of a mentality,
870
01:13:20,670 --> 01:13:24,460
which is, "It's more convenient
to believe comfortable truths,
871
01:13:24,670 --> 01:13:27,800
and comfortable facts
than it is to have to face
872
01:13:27,880 --> 01:13:29,920
difficult choices
and difficult realities."
873
01:13:34,630 --> 01:13:35,670
How much time?
874
01:13:36,840 --> 01:13:38,090
Maybe a year.
875
01:13:40,300 --> 01:13:42,840
Shcherbina,
he's confronted with his...
876
01:13:43,170 --> 01:13:44,340
sense of mortality.
877
01:13:44,420 --> 01:13:46,670
That he's presented
with that idea of,
878
01:13:46,760 --> 01:13:49,260
"What was his life worth,
and does it mean anything?
879
01:13:49,340 --> 01:13:51,340
Did he have an impact
on this situation?"
880
01:13:51,420 --> 01:13:54,510
Because he was a party man,
because he was an insider,
881
01:13:54,590 --> 01:13:57,800
he knew how to get the machinery
of the state to work.
882
01:13:58,800 --> 01:14:00,340
For God's sake, Boris.
883
01:14:01,710 --> 01:14:03,670
You were the one
who mattered most.
884
01:14:07,010 --> 01:14:10,380
Dyatlov,
who's been this very stubborn,
885
01:14:10,460 --> 01:14:13,260
recalcitrant person,
who refuses to accept
886
01:14:13,340 --> 01:14:15,510
any responsibility
for what happened...
887
01:14:17,920 --> 01:14:20,550
I wasn't in the room
when they raised the power.
888
01:14:21,260 --> 01:14:23,260
Anatoly Dyatlov made decisions
889
01:14:23,340 --> 01:14:26,170
no rational person
should've ever made.
890
01:14:26,510 --> 01:14:28,380
He made crazy choices.
891
01:14:28,460 --> 01:14:30,510
I'll have 'em reviewed.
We only just found out...
892
01:14:31,420 --> 01:14:32,460
There. Review it.
893
01:14:32,800 --> 01:14:34,260
In the trial, Dyatlov,
894
01:14:34,340 --> 01:14:36,630
historically,
does say the following thing.
895
01:14:37,090 --> 01:14:38,960
"I will not say that I am guilty.
896
01:14:39,510 --> 01:14:41,380
But I cannot say that I am not."
897
01:14:42,050 --> 01:14:44,380
And I thought that was a remarkable...
898
01:14:44,710 --> 01:14:48,340
expression of... at least
the potential of guilt.
899
01:14:49,090 --> 01:14:51,960
It was very Soviet in its own way,
the statement.
900
01:14:52,210 --> 01:14:53,760
To have it both ways.
901
01:14:54,840 --> 01:14:56,460
The trial is, as always,
902
01:14:56,550 --> 01:14:58,050
we want to find who's guilty.
903
01:14:58,380 --> 01:15:00,210
The people's lust for revenge,
904
01:15:00,300 --> 01:15:02,300
which is something really,
really dangerous,
905
01:15:02,380 --> 01:15:04,960
it makes it very attractive
to find scapegoats
906
01:15:05,050 --> 01:15:07,920
and throw as meat to the dogs.
907
01:15:08,920 --> 01:15:11,090
Once it's over,
we will have our villain,
908
01:15:11,550 --> 01:15:14,590
we will have our hero,
we will have our truth.
909
01:15:15,420 --> 01:15:17,510
We established pretty early on,
910
01:15:17,590 --> 01:15:21,340
what mistakes did those people
do in the control room.
911
01:15:21,420 --> 01:15:24,590
But the thing is that the system
was guilty.
912
01:15:25,710 --> 01:15:28,340
Professor Legasov,
if you mean to suggest
913
01:15:28,420 --> 01:15:31,340
the Soviet State is somehow
responsible for what happened,
914
01:15:31,420 --> 01:15:32,380
then I must warn you,
915
01:15:32,460 --> 01:15:34,380
you are treading on dangerous ground.
916
01:15:36,260 --> 01:15:37,800
That is how...
917
01:15:38,510 --> 01:15:41,050
an RBMK reactor core explodes.
918
01:15:45,420 --> 01:15:46,420
Lies.
69852
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