Original subtitles

(Clattering)

(Glass being filled)

(Cassette tape rewinding)

(Tape stops)

(Tape starts)

MAN: 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 recognise 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.

All we want to know is "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.

At least, not important ones.

And now, Dyatlov will spend the next ten years

in a prison labour 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.

(Clears throat)

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.

(Cassette player stops then rewinds)

(Exhales)

(Door opens)

(Door closes)

(Ticking)

(Inhales deeply)

(Drawer opens and closes)

(Clattering)

(Rope creaks)

(Woman retches)

(Coughs)

(Coughs)

(Toilet flushing)

(Gentle snoring)

(Explosion)

MAN: Lyudmilla?

(Dogs barking)

MAN: Comrade Dyatlov?

Comrade Dyatlov?

Comrade Dyatlov?

(Distant whine)

Comrade Dyatlov? Comrade Dyatlov!

- What just happened? - I don't know.

(Alarm ringing)

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... - It's an emergency. Stay calm.

- Our first priority... - It's exploded.

We know. Akimov, are we cooling the reactor core?

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

They're not all the way in...

I'll disconnect the servos from the standby console.

Get the backup pumps running.

Get water moving through the core. That is all that matters.

There is no core!

It exploded. The core exploded.

(Alarm continues blaring)

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

The lid is off.

- The stack's burning. I saw it. - You're confused.

RBMK reactor cores don't explode. Akimov.

Don't worry. We did everything right.

Something strange has happened.

- Do you taste metal? - Akimov!

Comrade Perevozchenko, what you're saying is impossible.

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

We're wasting time. Let's go.

Get hydrogen out the generators, pump water into the core.

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

(Alarm wails in distance)

(Distant rumbling)

(Horn blares)

- You're not on call tonight. - They're bringing in everybody.

Military and civil. Pripyat. Polesskoe. Kiev.

This is a big one.

But it doesn't look right. The colour.

Pravik thinks they're shining floodlights or something.

What if there are chemicals?

(Chuckles) Chemicals? The problem's the roof.

It's covered in tar,

so it's gonna burn all night and will stink like hell.

That's it, that's the worst of it.

Go back to bed.

(Door opens)

(Door closes)

(Alarm blares)

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

Here. Here.

Are they bombing?

What the fuck is this?

- 3.6 roentgen. - That's as high as it goes.

The good one's locked in the 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!

(Alarm continues blaring)

(Vomits)

(Coughs and splutters)

- Shit. - Hey!

We need to get into the reactor hall. The lift's destroyed.

Up two flights and across.

All right.

Why are you going there?

(Pounding and rumbling)

(Metallic clanging)

(Man groans)

- Have you seen Khodemchuk? - No. Where's Viktor?

Still in the pump room.

- (Retches) - Stay here. I'll come back.

Viktor!

- Viktor. - (Coughing and spluttering)

Viktor. Oh, Viktor.

I'm gonna get you out of here.

- Can you stand? - (Viktor splutters)

(Rasping) Khodemchuk.

Get Khodemchuk.

(Wings fluttering)

(Yuvchenko gasps)

(Sirens blaring in the distance)

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 sent trainees to the reactor hall to lower them by hand.

- What about the pumps? - I can't contact Khodemchuk.

Fuck the phones and fuck Khodemchuk.

- Are the pumps on or not? - Control panel's not working.

I called 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.

(Sirens blare)

(Clamouring and shouting)

(Shouted instructions)

Get the pumps going.

- Over here. - I'm going with you.

(Whine of machinery powering down)

Vastly.

Hey, Vastly. What's this?

I don't know, Misha. Don't fuck around with it.

Hook these up.

Come on.

- You taste metal? - Yeah, what is that?

I don't know.

The valves, Misha. The valves.

The valves. Come on.

(Alarm blaring)

What do you need?

We need to get into the reactor hall to lower the control rods

but the door's jammed.

I don't think there are control rods. Or that there's a core.

No, you're mistaken.

Akimov said...

Let's go.

(Man screaming)

Ignatenko, get on his hose.

It's all right.

All right. All right. Easy.

(Moans and yells in pain)

(Alarm sounds)

Are you sure?

Akimov...

(Grunting)

OK, move.

(Grunts and strains)

Go, go! Go!

(Mutters and grunts)

(Door creaking)

Let's go! Let's go!

Hey!

(Winces)

Hey!

(Alarm blaring)

(Distant conversations)

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 90. Could be dangerous.

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

- Mikhail. - What?

Oh. Sorry.

(Lyudmilla grunts)

- It's Vastly? - 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.

(Alarm blares in distance)

DYATLOV: The tank, it's big enough, this kind of explosion.

The control tank on 71, it's 100 cubic metres.

110.

110? Could do this, definitely.

It's gone.

I looked right into it. Looked into the core.

Did you lower the control rods or not?

(Gags)

Take him to the infirmary.

(Retches and groans)

Toptunov, take him.

- Where's Kudryavtsev? - He fell.

TOPTUNOV: I need a medic. - He's delusional.

- His face. - Ruptured condenser lines.

The feed water is mildly contaminated. He'll be fine.

Do we still have a phone line to the outside?

- Akimov? - Yeah.

Call in the day shift.

But if...

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.

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.

(Door closes)

You're doing fine. Raise her up.

That one may be 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 labour at the same time.

- Did I 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. It mustn't be too bad.

Do we stock iodine?

- Hm? - Iodine.

- You mean disinfectant? - No, pills.

Does the hospital stock iodine pills?

Iodine pills? Why would we have iodine pills?

(Phone rings)

(Continues ringing)

Hello. (Coughs)

Hello.

Who else knows this?

Have you called Fomin?

Of course I want you to call him. If I'm up, he's up.

(Sirens blare)

Whatever the cause, it's important neither you nor...

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.

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

had 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 tests, so he would know best.

The hydrogen tank, fire.

Reactor?

We're taking measures to ensure a flow of water to the core.

What about radiation?

Down here it's nothing, but in the reactor building

I'm being told 3.6 roentgen per hour.

- Not great, but not horrifying. FOMIN: Not at all.

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

We'll 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.

Oh, right.

I'll call Maryin.

Have them wake up the local Executive Committee.

There'll be orders coming down.

Here. Sure?

What do you think makes the colours?

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. Says it runs cold.

No gas, no fire, just atoms.

Yuri says 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.

Well, it is beautiful.

(Softly) Yeah.

(Alarm wailing in distance)

(Coughs)

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.

Vastly! You gotta put it out.

Come on, boys.

Vastly, it's this path, straight up.

All the way up, all the way in.

Come on.

Yeah. Going in now.

- What about the auxiliary? - The pumps are gone.

The electrical's gone.

The core?

I didn't go in there and I won't.

I think it's time we...

We have to get water into the core, or there'll be a meltdown.

- We have to work on the valves. - Sasha.

What do you want, Boris?

If it's true, 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?

The number of valves, time to turn them - it's 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.

(Door closes)

WORKER: I guess we know why they called us in early.

Is anyone saying what happened?

They were running the safety test in the turbines

through the control-system tank.

It doesn't make sense to me either.

What about sabotage?

A bomb?

Sitnikov.

Bryukhanov said to use the good dosimeter but it's in the safe.

- We can't find the key. - It's in building two. Has...?

Follow me.

(Door opens)

Gentlemen, welcome. Please find a seat.

Plenty of room.

I apologise 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.

Erm...as you can see we have experienced an accident.

A large control tank malfunctioned,

damaging reactor building four and starting a fire.

Now, I have spoken directly to Deputy Secretary Maryin.

Maryin spoke to Deputy Chief Frolyshev,

Frolyshev to Central Committee member Dolghikh,

and Dolghikh to General Secretary Gorbachev.

Now...

...because the Central Committee has the greatest respect

for the work of the Pripyat Executive Committee,

they've asked me to brief you on matters as they stand.

So...

first, the accident is well under control.

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 2,000 and 4,000 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.

Can happen with minimal radiation.

(Slow tapping)

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 labour

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 labour.

Yes, comrades.

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

This is our moment to shine.

(Applause from next room)

Thank you.

(Softly) Comrade Sitnikov, the chief engineer.

Well?

(Clears throat)

I sent my dosimetrists into the reactor building.

The large dosimeter from the safe,

the one with the thousand roentgen capacity...

What was the number?

There was none.

The meter burned out the second it was turned on.

- It's typical. - This is what Moscow does:

sends us shit equipment,

- 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 small ones.

And?

It maxed out. 200 roentgen.

- What game are you playing? - No, I-I...

I asked and 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 did you get that number

from feedwater leaking from a blown tank?

You don't.

Then what the fuck are you talking about?

I... (Clears throat)

I walked around the exterior of building four.

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?

(Softly) Yes.

Sitnikov, you're a nuclear engineer, so am I.

Now, 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 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 four.

I'll see it with my own...

my own eyes. (Vomits)

I apologise.

Guards! Guards!

Get him to a medic or a 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.

OK.

Let's begin.

(Handle squeaking)

Leonid.

Leonid.

Oh.

All the way, OK? All the way open.

(Handle squeaking)

I'm sorry. (Sobbing)

There's nothing to be sorry for.

I told you, we did nothing wrong.

But we did.

(Toptunov sobs)

(Door opens)

(Soundtrack masks dialogue)

(Footsteps running)

(Clamouring)

(Commotion and chatter)

(Sirens blare)

(Phone rings)

(Groans)

- Hello. - Valery Legasov?

files. - You're the Legasov

who's the First Deputy Director

of the Kurchatov institute of Atomic Energy?

lam. 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, reports 3.6 roentgen per hour.

That's significant. You should evacuate surrounding...

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,

don't you think, given the amount of radiation, it'd be...

Legasov, you are 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... - (Line goes dead)

(Sighs)

(Grunts)

(Valves clanking and squeaking)

(Children shouting and chattering in distance)