Original subtitles

Hmm.

It's impossible that the water has already killed them.

Yeah.

And what?

It doesn't work.

You can do it.

I'm here to see my husband, Mr.

Lyapinatenko. He's a firefighter from Chernobyl. I have permission.

Chernobyl? I'm sorry, no visitors.

Well, what Major Borov told me, he said... No exceptions.

Please, I've come all the way from Kievskaya Oblast.

Excuse me.

Excuse me.

Who are you? What are you doing here? I have a path.

You can't be here. It's not safe.

I am here to see my husband, Vasily Ignatenko. He's a firefighter from

Chernobyl. I know who Ignatenko is, but you can't.

I have permission.

I've...

You

can see him for 30 minutes.

Not a minute more.

And you cannot touch him in any way. Do you understand?

Yeah. Room 15.

Thank you.

You're not pregnant, are you?

No.

I'm going to have to give that to you.

There we are.

Oh, wait, wait, wait. I haven't finished yet.

No, no, he has it.

Yeah, that's good.

Look who the cat dragged in.

What did I tell you?

No hiding from you, is there?

It's easy.

It's okay.

You're all okay.

Yeah.

How, how, how did this happen? Who gave them the idea?

Who's suggesting I did? Someone did.

Someone decided that the evacuation zone should be 30 kilometers. When we know

here, these are 137 in the Gomel district. That's 200 kilometers away.

It was decided.

Based on what?

I don't know.

Forgive me.

Maybe I just spent too much time in my lab. Or maybe I'm just stupid.

Is this really the way it all works?

An uninformed, arbitrary decision that will cost who knows how many lives made

by some apparatchik, some career party man?

I'm a career party man.

You should watch your tone, Comrade Ligato.

Comrade.

We have visual confirmation that the fire is nearly extinguished. There's

been a reduction in iodine -131 and C -137 emissions.

Good. Yes?

But the temperature is rising.

And, uh...

There's a

spike in zirconium -95.

It's from the cladding on the fuel rods.

Meaning what?

The meltdown has begun.

You can't be in here.

Get out.

You can't be in here.

Yes. Put him through.

Well?

The fire is nearly out. The bubble tanks are being drained. We have successfully

eliminated the risk of a thermal explosion.

And?

The situation inside the core is deteriorating faster than anticipated.

The concrete pad will last for six to eight weeks, but after that... Legasov

estimates a 50 % chance that the fuel will breach the pad and melt down into

groundwater itself.

And where does this groundwater go? The Pripyat River, which feeds into the

Dnieper. The primary water supply for approximately 50 million people, not to

mention crops and livestock, would be unusable.

We're recommending we install a heat exchanger under the pad to lower the

temperature and halt the meltdown.

And in order to do that, I'm told that we will need all of the

liquid nitrogen in the Soviet Union.

Oh.

All right.

And, of course, we'll also need... Whatever you need, you have it. That

be clear by now. Anything else? No, no, no. Thank you. Yes, I'd like to address

the 30 -kilometer exclusion zone.

Wait, well, Professor Legasov, is that you?

What exclusions are? Minor details, General Secretary.

Premier Ryzhkov has determined that... If he determined, then he determined.

Look, Professor Legasov, you are there for one reason only, do you understand?

To make this stop.

I don't want questions. I want to know when this will be over.

If you mean when will Chernobyl be completely safe? The half -life of

-239 is 24 ,000 years, so perhaps we should just say not within our

taking a walk.

What is it you want? An apology?

Get back in.

What will happen to our boys?

Which boys?

The divers?

The divers, the firefighters, the men in the control room.

What does the radiation do to them, precisely?

Some of them were exposed.

Ionizing radiation tears the cellular structure apart.

Skin blisters turn red and black.

This is followed by a latency period.

The immediate effects subside. The patient appears to be recovering.

Healthy, even, but they aren't.

This usually only lasts for a day or two.

and the cellular damage begins to manifest.

The bone marrow dies.

The immune system fails.

The organs and soft tissue begin to decompose.

The arteries and veins spill open like sills to the point where you can't even

administer morphine for the pain, which is unimaginable.

And then three days to three weeks, you're dead.

That is what will happen to those boys.

And what about us?

Well, we've gotten a steady dose, but not as much of it.

Not strong enough to kill the cells, but consistent enough to damage our DNA.

So, in time, cancer, or aplastic anemia, either way, fatal.

In a sense, it would seem we've got enough easy, then.

I'll hurry.

I've seen them before.

Now you know why I wanted to take a walk.

I presume the work site is bugged.

And our rooms, even our bathrooms.

They've been here the whole time.

Of course they've been here the whole time.

But if we're seeing them out in the open now, it's because they want us to know.

You've seen that?

The fuel is melting faster than we expected.

I know.

I have a plan.

Heat exchanger, I hope.

Yes.

Something I wanted to ask you, comrade, but I see you already asking yourself

the same question.

Why did it explode?

I've worked the numbers over and over, presuming the worst possible conditions

in an RBMK reactor.

And I always get the same answer.

Which is?

It's not possible.

And yet?

You're not going to solve this, are you?

Not on paper.

Everyone who's in the control room.

Dyatlov, Akimov, Toktunov, they're all in Moscow.

Hospital number six.

We need to find out exactly what happened that night.

Moment by moment.

Decision by decision.

Go now while they're still alive.

Talk to them.

Because if we don't find out how this happened, it will happen again.

What? Fuck you.

Here's what I hear.

What's as big as a house, burns 20 liters of fuel every hour, puts out a

shitload of smoke and noise, and cuts an apple into three pieces?

A Soviet machine made to cut apples into four pieces!

Who's in charge here?

I'm the crew chief.

I'm Shadog, Minister of Coal Industries.

I know who you are.

How many men do you have?

On this ship, 45 here, 100 in total.

I need all 100 men to gather their equipment and get on the truck.

There you are.

To where?

That's classified.

Come on, then.

Start shooting.

You haven't got enough bullets for all of us.

Kill as many as you can. Whoever's left, they'll beat the living piss out of

each of you. You can't talk to us like that. Shut the fuck up.

This is Chula.

This is our mine.

We don't leave unless we know why.

We're going to Chernobyl.

Do you know what's happened there?

We dig up coal, not bodies.

The reactor fuel is going to sink into the ground and poison the water from

to the Black Sea.

All of it.

Forever, they say.

They want you to stop that from happening.

How are we supposed to do that?

They didn't tell me, because I don't need to know.

Do you need to know or have you heard enough?

Now you look like a minister of code

Told you no touch.

It's not safe.

They touch you.

Safe for them and safe for me.

Thank you.

Where are the others?

They took them to a special room.

They won't tell me where.

Open the curtains Open the curtains

Tell

me

what you see outside

Tell me everything.

I can see the Red Square.

And... Kremlin.

Basquiat Tower.

Mausoleum.

You see St. Basil?

Told you.

Told you I'd show you Moscow, didn't I?

Huh? Yes.

I'm not eating that. It's shit.

Give me something else.

I'm not a nurse, Comrade Dyatlov.

I'm a nuclear physicist.

Well, then, Comrade Nuclear Physicist, unless you happen to have a butter and

caviar sandwich on you, you can get the fuck out of my room.

What?

I'm not good at this, Boris.

The nine.

Have you ever spent time with miners?

No.

My advice, tell the truth.

These men work in the dark. They see everything.

Andre Glukhov, crew chief.

Do these work?

To an extent.

Of course.

So what's the job?

We need to install a liquid nitrogen heat exchanger underneath the...

Concrete pad.

There's no way to approach from the interior of the building, so you have to

at it from underground.

And what's above the pad?

The core of the nuclear reactor, which is melting down.

What, like?

Sensitive.

Is it going to fall on top of her? Not if you're done within six weeks.

Dimensions?

Break ground here.

Take a tunnel 150 meters to here.

Excavator space 30 by 30 meters for the heat exchanger.

Because we need to keep disruption of the ground above to a minimum, you can't

use any heavy machinery. It has to be done by hand.

We're going to need more men.

400 at least.

We'll have to work around the clock.

How deep do you want this tunnel? Six meters?

Twelve.

Twelve? Fine.

For your protection.

At that depth, you'll be shielded from much of the radiation.

The entrance to the tunnel won't be 12 meters below ground.

No.

Am I not 12 meters below ground now?

No.

We're not.

We have some equipment.

You're right.

War will arrive by midnight.

We can start in the morning.

No, we start now.

I don't want my men here one more second than they need to be.

These wards, you've been wearing them.

What's up there? Uh, 50 degrees.

Fuck.

Hey!

Hey, you!

We need friends.

For what purpose?

What do you mean, for what purpose?

You think you're a fucking tunnel, that's right. Who's talking to you? Oh,

comrades.

It's 50 degrees down there.

We can't breathe without the mask.

We can't breathe with the mask.

It's like a fucking oven.

We need ventilation.

Fans will put dust in the air. The dust will go in your lungs.

I've been breathing dust in my lungs for 20 years.

Not this dust.

I'm sorry.

For your own good. No fans.

My name is Olana Homyuk.

I'm a nuclear physicist with the Chernobyl Commission.

I want you to tell me everything that happened on the night of the accident.

Is that all right?

Your official title was... My name is

Leonid Fedorovich Totenov.

I am the senior reactor control chief engineer at Chernobyl Nuclear

Power Plant.

Senior engineer.

How old are you?

I'm here. I'm here.

Have

you

been here this whole time?

No one said I should leave.

I did.

30 minutes, I said.

Well, where have you been?

When he's in pain.

Then his door sticks to his gown when he soils himself five times a night. I've

been looking after him. Where have you been?

I've been in the north and west wing, where there are dozens of patients from

Chernobyl exactly like him.

It isn't safe for you here. He's my husband.

Not anymore.

He's something else now, do you understand?

He's dangerous to you.

He's burned.

Go home.

Please.

I won't take it. Much longer, I... I

don't want him to die alone.

Stay on the other side of the plastic.

Or I'll have you removed by security.

Yes, my love.

It's okay.

It's my time now.

It's okay, it's true.

It's just gone.

That's it.

We're going to have a...

The fire is out.

It's out, Palera.

The miners are making incredible progress.

I think the whole job will be finished in four weeks.

Four weeks.

Can you believe that?

I know the job isn't over.

at the beginning or the end.

I'm sorry to bother you, Deputy Minister, but it's a minus.

You wouldn't give a chance. Too hot for clothes.

We're digging the old way. This is where our fathers went.

We're still wearing the fucking hats.

What do you want?

You're not as protected.

No.

You tell them they'll make a difference.

When this is over, will they be looked after?

I don't know.

So the power level jumped from 200 to 400 megawatts.

Yes.

Very far.

Why didn't you initiate an emergency shutdown?

Why didn't you press the AZ -5 button?

I did.

I reported the increase to our chemo, and he pressed the button.

Leonid, that's not possible.

Which room is that you are from?

Thank you, Comrade Kim.

Let me go.

Let me go.

Stop it.

Stop it.

You let her in that room, inside the plastic, touching him.

Did you know she's pregnant?

It's not true.

What have you done? What kind of a place is this? Where is her protection?

Do you have any idea what you're dealing with? Of course I do. Please, I do. No.

People are going to hear about this. Wait.

People are going to hear. Do you understand?

Everyone is going to hear.

What is everyone going to hear?

I'm with the official Chernobyl Commission. I've been authorized by

Legatov. You can check it. My name is... We know who you are.

What is everyone going to hear?

You have your notes?

Yes.

Paul Milk was arrested last night.

What?

Why? I don't know.

Was it?

Of course it was.

I'm working on it.

Boris. I'm working on it.

What more do you want from me?

Pick your tie.

I'll see you now.

After thousands of sorties, our brave helicopter crews successfully

the fire.

The miners are working heroically to ensure that the fuel does not reach the

groundwater. And furthermore, there's no longer a threat of additional

explosion. The Soviet people have faced the challenge and risen to the task, and

they and everyone in this room are to be commended.

Lastly, Professor Legasov and I have been vigilant to protect the security

interests of the state.

And since the unfortunate release of information directly following the

accident, we believe that there has been no further lapse.

Comrade Cherkov, we hope we have lived up to the highest standards of the KTV.

You have.

Thank you.

Professor Legasnov will now speak about the work that remains.

Thank you.

Deputy Chairman Shabina has given you the good news, and it is good.

The immediate danger is over.

Now I'm afraid a long war must begin.

There is an enormous amount of radioactive debris and contamination

across the zone of approximately 2 ,600 square kilometers. This entire region

must be completely evacuated.

We must go to every town, every village to ensure this.

All animals still surviving within the zone, whether domesticated or wild,

must be presumed contaminated and will have to be destroyed.

to prevent the spread of radiation and disease in the immediate area

chernobyl every rock every tree the very ground itself

has absorbed a dangerous amount of radionuclides which will be carried by

wind of the rain if left exposed so we will have to raise entire forests we

have to rip up the top layer of earth and bury it under itself approximately

square kilometers

And finally, we will need to construct a containment structure around the power

plant itself, which will, of course, still be extremely...

There will be death.

What amount of time and how many men do you require?

We expect this liquidation effort to take three years and approximately 750

men. including a number of doctors and structural engineers.

How many deaths?

Thousands.

Perhaps tens of thousands.

Begin at once.

Comrade Chakov.

O 'Leary.

Yes, Professor?

My associate was arrested last night.

Oh?

I mean no disrespect, but I was wondering if you could tell me why.

I'm sorry, I don't know who you're talking about.

She was arrested by the KGB.

You are the first deputy chairman of the KGB.

I am?

That's why I don't have to bother with arresting people anymore.

But you are bothering with having us followed.

I think the deputy chairman is... No, no. It's perfectly understandable.

Comrade, I know you've heard the stories about it.

When I hear them, even I am shocked. But we are not what people say.

Yes, people are following you.

People are following those people.

And you see them?

They follow me.

The KGB is a circle of accountability.

Nothing more.

You know the work we're doing here.

You really don't trust us.

Of course I do.

But you know the old Russian proverb, trust but verify.

And the Americans think that Ronald Reagan thought that up. Can you imagine?

It was very nice speaking with him.

I need help.

So you'll be accountable for her?

Then it's done.

And I know who she is.

Good day, Professor.

Oh.

That went surprisingly well.

You came off like a naive idiot.

Naive idiots are not a threat.

I'll come back when the paperwork's complete.

Are you all right?

They didn't hurt me.

To let a pregnant woman into a room with a... It doesn't matter.

They were stupid. I was stupid.

Dyatlov won't talk to me.

Akimov, yes.

Do you

think

the fuel will actually melt through the concrete?

I don't know.

40 % chance, maybe.

I'd say 50.

Either way, the numbers mean the same thing, maybe.

Maybe the core will melt through to the groundwater.

Maybe the miners I've told to dig under the reactor will save millions of lives.

I don't want to do this anymore.

I want to stop.

But I can't.

I don't think you have a choice any more than I do.

I think despite the stupidity, the lies, even this, you are

compelled.

The problem has been assigned and you have suffered nothing.

I'll learn a thing then.

A thing?

Did you know that they were running a safety test?

There's something else.

Akimov says they shut the reactor down, and Toktunov confirms it.

They pressed AZ -5.

Apparently not soon enough.

No.

They say Akimov pressed AZ -5, and then the reactor exploded.

If it had been just one of them, I would have put it down before the memory or

delusion even, but...

agreed they were adamant.

Comrade.

Do you think it's possible?

I think it makes no sense. I think it's what I would say if I was trying to

cover my own mistakes.

But?

I believe them.

Then you should pursue it.

We have to pursue every possibility.

to the hospital and re -interview Akimov and Dunov.

. . .

. . .