Holiday in Chernobyl: Tourism in the Exclusion Zone

Thirty years after the worst nuclear accident in history, Chernobyl has become a tourist attraction. Tens of thousands of people are believed to have died prematurely from the catastrophe which spread a radioactive cloud over Europe in 1986, but last year 17,000 people visited the so-called exclusion zone anyway.
VICE News sent Simon Ostrovsky to Chernobyl to find out just how safe it is to go there.
Read "Chernobyl's Exclusion Zone Is Now a Thriving Wildlife Habitat” - bit.ly/1rcL6Ix
Read "30 Years After the Chernobyl Disaster, Locals Are Still Eating Radioactive Food” - bit.ly/1pyhJiA
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[@Erik3E]

Remember the Heroes: Valeri Bezpalov, Alexie Ananenko and Boris Baranov who With full knowledge of the danger and with basic scuba gear and a dodgy lamp, they dove down into the nuclear water to find a valve. Despite Boris’ lamp failing while diving down, the trio found the valve to open the gates and swam back up. If they wouldn't have done this many hundreds of thousands of europeans would have died from an even bigger disaster than it was.

[@audi6665]

Erik3E their were no hero’s in this catastrophe they had no clue of the after effects 😳🤔🤘🏽👽🤘🏽☢️⚰️

[@audi6665]

Erik3E if you work at a nuclear power plant you’re contributing to the GENOCIDE 🤔😳😡🤬☢️⚰️🤘🏽👽🤘🏽

[@EpilepticSnail]

@audi666 You're a dumbass.....

[@AdomasLP]

Those people were heroes, and nuclear power is the only viable way to efficiently make electricity without contributing to climate change. Please watch this video on what the future of nuclear power will be like: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pqCzfYadl7iCbM0

[@thetayterminator1436]

@@AdomasLP Balls not Rods!!

[@dc6758]

Her response to "is it dangerous" was wild lmfao

[@AnnabelleJARankin]

She's in denial, to make a buck or two...

[@captainmcderpyderp]

@@AnnabelleJARankin No she isn't, she's using her brain instead of being afraid of the invisible radiation that terrifies you.

[@AnnabelleJARankin]

@@captainmcderpyderp She's in denial, to make a buck or two - I suppose you could call that 'using her brain' if you're not using your own....

[@captainmcderpyderp]

@@AnnabelleJARankin what specifically is she denying? What are YOU denying?

[@AnnabelleJARankin]

@@captainmcderpyderp It is dangerous... nb her response Kinda obvious what I think...!

[@weekendwarrior8179]

I wonder how much exposure the tour guide has received

[@robertmoore1123]

Her 💩 probably glows but it's all good she says

[@JackIsNotInTheBox]

They alternate shifts, she's not the only tour guide lol

[@lex1945]

tour guid got less exposure than the tourists that took a plane into kyiv borispol in order to visit pripyat.

[@jed1791]

Probably heaps after this video

[@MrGlostuber]

"50,000 people used to live here, now it's a ghost town."

[@BryanDrift]

+Aizen Kazama *Epic sound effects*

[@roguecactus7]

😜 "Prostityooted by the West."

[@IBgaming1]

memories

[@Rogue_Console]

back when Cod was brilliant

[@CompanionProduction]

RIP Good COD games...😢

[@tmacfan16]

Welcome to the 21st Century, where people go into high radiation zones just for instagram pics

[@shuu1931]

Why not

[@mmc8080]

We Live in a Society smh

[@audi6665]

WOW 😮 UNBELIEVABLE 😳

[@littleseamstress]

let darwinism happen

[@djbloo8996]

I mean the radiation levels are safe now sooo

[@SupremeBakedBean]

Is it dangerous to smoke - Yes Is it dangerous to drive - Yes I fucking love Simon haha

[@rahimkamara]

Opening line: "Why did you come to Chernobyl? You know it's radioactive right?" LMAOOOOOO

[@lowhigher3107]

WHAT?! SINCE WHEN?

[@MadmanMeathead]

O Rly I didn't know that

[@JonasTuk]

+Hamza Lohiya must have happened a week ago or something, nobody told me.

[@janeholmes8202]

Reply: I could ask you the same thing.

[@johnchef1195]

I want to go in chernobyll so i can lick the foots elephant so im going to die which results that i am commiting suicide

[@noseguard99]

Tour guide said it's 3.6 Roentgen. Not great, not terrible.

[@kushagrakhandelwal6303]

It's equivalent to a X ray

[@laurenbreeze94]

Kushagra Khandelwal it’s equivalent to 25.000 xrays

[@kushagrakhandelwal6303]

Lauren W. of course I do We here are referring lines from the series chernobyl

[@JackAShepherd]

LMAO, love it!

[@aoutsky]

Her business is going to boom because of the HBO documentary.

[@Andizu1]

Was thinking the same thing. Probably followed by stories 'how I went to the exclusion zone by myself and now have thyroid cancer'.

[@lisaishere0919]

It is mini series not documentary

[@Andizu1]

@@lisaishere0919 good point to make. Documentary would imply that it's facts instead of facts mixed with fiction.

[@aoutsky]

@@lisaishere0919 my bad.

[@ewanmarshall761]

I was on a tour of Chernobyl in November of 2019 after the release of the series and the guide was asked what Impact the series had on visitor numbers. He said they had noted a 3% increase. I must admit I also thought it would have had more of an effect. I should add its been my intention to visit since 2015 so I was not inspired by the series either.

[@Earthman99999]

Rather than visit Chernobyl... I'll just watch these videos people make of the tours. Good enough for me.

[@juanlopez-kk4ro]

i could feel the radiation through the screen

[@MoeFe]

lol you are actually receiving small doses of radiation from phones. microwaves. radio frequencies. and even the sun, WiFi and various other forms of radiation

[@JonasTuk]

+Melok Vendetta *insert orly meme*

[@decodeddiesel]

+juan lopez I feel the ignorance through the screen.

[@juanlopez-kk4ro]

You must be looking at your reflection on the screen

[@davidramon9991]

+Melok Vendetta Yes, but we are mainly only exposed to non ionizing radiation from those sources. It often does not even penetrate though our skin or cell membranes. Ionizing radiation such as is found near Chernobyl is capable of penetrating through the skin and breaking chemical bonds inside human (or any other animal) cells and therefore is much more dangerous, especially if subject to long term exposure.

[@jennyumm89]

I have always been so fascinated by this place.

[@dillonoakes420]

You would probably like exploring with Josh, he has a channel on KZbin and has recently been to Chernobyl. I think he has a four part video about his time there.

[@Laurz23x]

me too!😍😍😭❤

[@xifatxifat3011]

Watch the show now, its fascinating..

[@ericjohnson6158]

@@zik0v No it doesn't. It was your nerves.

[@AvidanTheExpositor]

Not sure what was more of a time capsule: Chernobyl or that hospital.

[@zacharymcdowall1856]

I was thinking the same thing lol

[@revantrai980]

pre ww2 steel 8:32

[@Andizu1]

'You are fine'. Yeah. That's what they said 33 years ago as well...

[@polak.7144]

@@revantrai980 pre ww2 steel means it's radiation free, because it was made before the atom bombs, so it can be used to measure radiation in other surfaces.

[@evallyntc3164]

@@polak.7144 radiation has existed before the creation of atomic weaponry

[@MEATYOKERRable]

Honestly, I wonder if any of those guys involved with the disaster could have imagined that tourists would be going there one day.

[@Sullendust]

''Also great for Instagram.'' - Simon Ostrovsky (2016)

[@Lapeacemaker]

Jordy wow lol

[@alyssa3605]

that is probably peoples actual reason for going

[@JackAShepherd]

I know, right? As an elder Millennial - AKA “Generation Catalano” - I just don’t get it.

[@emiliojavier1850]

I can feel the radiation just watching this video on my overheating Dell laptop.

[@bullboombap]

Before Chernobyl meltdown: Is it safe to work or live here? Yes. After Chernobyl meltdown: Is it safe to visit here? Yes. Hmmm.

[@evallyntc3164]

two very different things

[@jinx184]

It's not the radiation that gets you, it's the Stalkers.

[@NewNationale]

+Jinx get out of here Stalker

[@Casioo24]

+JesterGary dont visit lab x18!

[@NewNationale]

+Casioo24 cheeki breeki iv Kappa

[@ivanb4436]

+Jinx Stalker oroužjao brao

[@HandleMyBallsYouTube]

+Jinx No it's the zone that takes you

[@thoughty2fan278]

They think it’s safe cause the meter only shows 3.6 rompkin Yes I know I can’t spell

[@Andizu1]

*rontgen ;) (or did I miss the joke aside from an HBO-reference?)

[@saidel8565]

@@Andizu1 lol, I miss it too, or just *rontgen

[@meebrbey]

Just a chest X-Ray

[@karstenstahl7083]

@@saidel8565 *Röntgen

[@enriquepenanieto3569]

The West lies, It was 3.6 roentgens max, the equivalent to an Xray from what been told

[@miguelguzman7670]

"Is it dangerous to smoke?... Idk" this lady is a genius, someone get her a Nobel prize.

[@dom7015]

She needs a Chernobyl prize.

[@jimbobjimjim6500]

Cant believe you didnt get that she was really saying, that its a chance you take when you go to Chernobyl..........Like smoking, like driving a car......

[@jimbobjimjim6500]

@@dom7015 You need one for not getting what she was really saying......Actually what she said is an indicator of having excellent English..

[@dom7015]

@@jimbobjimjim6500 I think you need a Chernobyl prize for not understanding that it's a joke.

[@janeholmes8202]

@@dom7015 brilliant

[@factoryusa666]

That Tour Guide's jacket is Fresh.

[@4frntOG]

you kno

[@kristyleebum]

Those were my exact words

[@PablinskyCorporation]

3:54 that Slav squatting on point.

[@georgeyau98]

+PablinskyCorporation slav-squat squad goals

[@VICENews]

VICE News sent Simon Ostrovsky to Chernobyl to find out just how safe it is to go there. Read "Chernobyl's Exclusion Zone Is Now a Thriving Wildlife Habitat” - bit.ly/1rcL6Ix

[@madman3470]

It's ok to go if you don't ever want to have children.

[@OrangeMilkBlossom]

haha

[@bluethunder7391]

+madman3470 Like me.So I will go there someday.

[@BonJoviworstbandever]

+madman3470 it's fine. being a smoker is worse for your body.

[@louieis1337]

+BonJoviworstbandever and for your balls

[@BonJoviworstbandever]

Louie Borromeo can't forget those balls!

[@nicholai40]

He should have gone to this hospital first, for a before and after exam.

[@nicholai40]

***** ROTFLMAO!!

[@doggyh20]

He's getting advice from a lady that has no hair cause of the radiation

[@cormacmcg1232]

They probably just didn't include it, you need to before going in and then coming out

[@HandleMyBallsYouTube]

''Also great for instagram'' No true stalker would say that

[@40kanon]

Exactly, you go to Pripyat, sneak an artifact out in your backpack, take a few pictures for home with an old candid camera.

[@onty]

How did you survive in Zaton all the way to Jupiter and got to Pripyat with no equipment STALKER?

[@PicNaxe]

I don't get it

[@legobros2020]

+Onty Stalker meme

[@MrFunbaggs]

+Onty A lot of chicken... and cossacks...

[@Loafed_Beans]

blyat cyka they didn't even bring any tourist delight or cossack vodka

[@saxonweed2846]

Cheeki breeki

[@jonleggett1543]

Who else is here because of HBO's mini series Chernobyl?

[@kdkd4233]

Yess!!

[@jaekash1911]

gang gang

[@elegantlywasted5447]

Jon Leggett loving it

[@pilgo]

Meeeeee!

[@pinesy9452]

Mhm. Yes.

[@penguimTwo]

Didn't really need subtitles for the guy from Hong Kong.

[@KateDenthimamai]

As a non-native English speaker I beg to disagree, his accent was sometimes difficult to understand.

[@saidel8565]

@@KateDenthimamai Yea I agree , It wasn't easy to understand what he was saying.

[@janeholmes8202]

I thought he was speaking Cantonese at first.

[@reglayass2516]

I love Simon. I think everyone agrees that we need some more Simon in our lives.

[@Greenleavez]

+boxes of foxes I love that tour guide's jacket. Shit's looking damn fresh.

[@SpaceLilies]

He's my fav Vice reporter

[@roodlesprease7659]

simon is a zionist jew.. didnt he do the new jersey police-clip. again jews wanting police to let criminals in white neighbourhoods be while pretending to fight racism. the guy is anti-white jew racist.

[@reglayass2516]

roodles prease chill dude

[@dangen2012]

+roodles prease WTF ?

[@HairyPixels]

If they could *sing* well, they would *sing*!

[@SaintBrick]

+Hairy Pixels I half expected her to break into song

[@omff6329]

+Hairy Pixels sounded like glatos

[@jacobjochem]

yeah TOO much radiATION!

[@aufwiedersehen483]

I CANNOT...GUY: "according to the tour guide, $he $aid it'$ okay($afe)" ....That'll be $200! Here's a free Chernobyl sticker

[@crezz7184]

i have a positive ID on Imran Zakhaev...

[@creativewittyname6649]

Bahahahaha I like this one

[@thomasv-p8839]

Soap it's now or never! Take the shot!

[@ayirsawft]

+Thomas V-P It was price

[@thomasv-p8839]

RIIIIIIGHT!!!! Lol oops!

[@Jonathan-pz6ws]

Crezz lol

[@beachbum23]

fifty thousand people used to quickscope here now its a ghost town"

[@freudzwetdream]

Chernobyl and Everest have become the new Disneyland.

[@johannesaigner8501]

Do you know more cool places like these? :)?? Fukushima What else?

[@publicfigure8272]

That tour guide was really cute

[@MartinBenek198]

+eighto chanu and kinda communist :D

[@4ejlobek913]

all ukrainian girls cute

[@kiarasabur5338]

Yall thirsty as hell

[@synsam12345]

Okay, I kind of buy the fact that if you're there temporary once it's fine, but what about the guides? They must be visiting quite regularly. Do they really sacrifice that for their job?

[@ArielBojorquez]

Walter Thatcher you’re in shock

[@synsam12345]

@@ArielBojorquez what?

[@RFJersey]

Walter Thatcher In countries with limited job opportunities you have to do whatever it takes to put food on the table.

[@synsam12345]

@@RFJersey Is Ukraine really that bad, huh? I knew it was semi-poor, but not that poor. Sad. :/

[@BlackScisir]

Soviets in 1986 did all kinds of tasks in much more radioactive areas to get only 2 months worth of salary. If it earns money, people will do it.

[@amydamjanovic9183]

Personally, I'd rather spend my holiday on a yacht in the tropics, somewhere a little less radioactive and creepy.

[@louieis1337]

s.t.a.l.k.e.r. feels

[@chamoy326]

yes!!

[@fingmoron]

+Louie Borromeo Only reason i want to go XD

[@diogeneslantern18]

+Louie Borromeo Stalker! Welcome to the 100 Rads bar!

[@cap6741]

Can someone explain the stalker thing to me

[@chamoy326]

+Cris Py it's a rpg game with a nuclear apocalypse theme. also a meme

[@Iowa21]

That radiation detector looked like it was from the 50's

[@konstantingr5928]

yep back in the day they made products that were meant to last long ,, these days they make products that are designed to break in 2 years so you will buy a new one

[@Unamedsoldier26]

Simon is the reason why I started watching VICE NEWS.

[@tajayfoot1]

War documentaries are my reason, people talk mad shit about Simon though especially during the Putin troll days..

[@personaldove]

+tajayfoot1 They're basically angry RT trolls nothing more.Calling him a Zionist Jew.

[@IlyaF2010]

i want to be as educated as him. i know russian, ukranian and english. but he knows english and in the same time russian so good, its a pretty rare thing

[@igorbednarski8048]

>people haven't learned how to use nuclear energy safely Yes, we have, some have just ignored this knowledge and this is what caused the disasters. TEPCO had known about the problem with generators and that they can be flooded by a tsunami and chose to ignore it. Soviet scientists knew about RBMK design flaws, but the crew that operated tham was never told. We do have the knowledge on how to run these plants safely, we just need to implement it - decomission the obsolete plants and make sure that procedures are followed at the modern ones.

[@biancadesousa]

so much misinformation in this comment.

[@darthhideous9084]

Well, Soap and MacMillan went through Pripyat just fine, so I assume it's okay.

[@azriakmal.]

Well that one guy got his arm blown off.

[@darthhideous9084]

+Azri Akmal Very true, but somehow, he survived. I bet that arm is still there.

[@azriakmal.]

+Antonio D. Yep, it probably have grown legs due to the radiation. Just a random terrorist arm roaming around Pripyat.

[@KaaaaaayFFS]

+Antonio D. They weren't daft, they stayed out of the radioactive areas

[@Devinn504]

+KaaaaaayFFS right lol

[@vargadon8312]

My nigga Simon Ostrovsky is a total badman

[@Erik3E]

Imreallydead. :D

[@corinnekok9841]

Props to the production crew too!

[@sayuhainey724]

"People didn't do drugs or drink a lot" hah, alcoholism was a huge problem in Soviet Union and still is in Russia and post Soviet countries :)

[@lenitaa7938]

Exactly!

[@MechaRommel]

I just love Ostrovsky, such a great journalist!

[@chownful]

id be more worried about going into the "protective chamber" than chernobyl

[@JustAsPlanned1]

+Jcream101 A dump? Sounds kinda offenisve. There's war going on , you know?

[@obsoleteoptics]

JustAsPlanned1 That's what makes it a dump. Wars don't exactly beautify the foothills.

[@fathercay]

nobody: VICE: wHy dO YoU cOMe tO ChERnoBYL

[@brak54321]

The tour guide visits the exclusion zone everyday I assume. This must impact her health.

[@alessal4553]

My question is how safe its for the guides to keep going there so often ? The girl said its ok for a short time but she goes there because its her job

[@QueenWJ]

That's what I was thinking. She is getting exposed to low levels of radiation constantly.

[@alessal4553]

Unique SP thats still a lot

[@Arrionw]

The radiation in the zone is about 1/10 that of an airplane at 35000 feet. The radiation in an airplane is high due to the thinner atmosphere providing a lot less protection against the sun's radiation. This means pilots and flight attendants absorb a lot more radiation doing their jobs than the guides do. As Unique SP said, the real danger is inhaling dust. The guides know where to go to minimize that danger.

[@elegantlywasted5447]

Ppl are so weird Why would you want to do that Of course the ppl in the hospital are going to say you’re fine to a tourist

[@hoehoe3151]

and couple years later, doctor: you have cancer

[@felicitydeikos5250]

Lukemia.

[@RobTheTrucker]

I heard the radiation is about the equivalent of having a chest xray

[@stee8345]

some places are. the closer you get to the actual reactor that blew, its something like 400 chest x rays per minute.

[@user-jd9dh8xs3l]

Always nice to hear something about your country :D

[@steveo101112]

+Антон Коханевич Have you been to Chernobyl? Is it a tourist attraction for Ukrainians? Or are people scared of the area?

[@refreshfr]

+Антон Коханевич The language sounds very pleasing to the ear. I like it. (not when it's shouted by a teenager in an online game though :p)

[@TerrorTerros]

+Антон Коханевич You've been getting plenty of that

[@MagmaleV]

+Steven Phillips I live in Kyiv and in the past year me and my friends went in the first time to Chernobyl, we have been near reactor, just like Simon, also in very unique ghost-town Pripyat. No radiation on us, no fear, it was great and intresting trip, we may go there again, I would say such a tourism much popular here in Ukraine, I hear about many tourists from Poland in Chernobyl too.

[@BlastBoystarwars]

+refreshfr i'm ukrainian, and even i rarely hear anyone speak ukrainian language in voice chat in any online game. It's mostly russian, so i don't know if you actually heard ukrainian.

[@ipod1978]

Great report. More like this please

[@Atlas-hu9wk]

I would been more interested in the surrounding areas, the fauna. How did it affected? Seems nature came back to the area with greater force.

[@UncleAnaesthesia]

Not gonna lie, I would make the trip. Chernobyl has entered into urban legend territory over the years, fascinating as a Fallout/F.E.A.R./Metro fanatic.

[@KnolltopFarms]

8:20 is the moment you realize that there is no way out if that motor on the wall powering up the lead-screw fails! Yikes, I didn't see any hand-wheels on that mechanical system either, so there really is no other way out...that's one heavy situation, literally!

[@danielcejones]

There’s actually less radiation inside the buildings than outside. The reason they advise people not to enter buildings is because they are decaying and could potentially collapse.

[@wats77]

ooh so thats the true story.

[@damienscullytoo]

I would actually worry more about asbestos, the Russians had a huge tendency of using it as a building material especially in the 80's.

[@him3zz]

Do you have a gieger counter? mine is in the shop

[@dellywarrior]

great as usual, Simon

[@rayfordcarpathia4015]

Pripyat looks so cool being empty and whatnot. I would definitely love to visit the site.

[@varunagg2023]

Why have subtitles for the fellow from Hong Kong? His English was perfectly understandable.

[@Thumbsupurbum]

Not everyone speaks English as their first language, thus making understanding thick accents a lot harder.

[@CarFreeG]

smh they go right before The Arch gets implemented. Gotta get that last dose from the 80s.

[@googleinc6033]

50,000 people used to live here, now it's a ghost town

[@aquaticborealis4877]

The scene of tremendous tragedy and pain. Taking Instagram pictures there is terrible.

[@molkamelds4307]

Not Great, Not Terrible. If you know what i mean...

[@janosegen]

When was this filmed? I was there on the 19th of April and I saw a guy on the top of a building filming. It may have been Simon. Btw. we got the "tickets" as cheap as $100 per person

[@davidhamp10]

hands down the best reporter for vice been watching alot of his interviews and documentaries for years

[@MartinBenek198]

Great documentary Simon. I'd love to visit too :D

[@katoyushiromitsu]

Hang on with your conclusion on nuclear power. Modern reactors are safer than normal power stations. First off there a hundreds of ways to build a nuclear power station the RMBK reactor here is simply one of them. Secondly old reactors were built to run, controlled the stay safe. You had to make sure the reactor didn't do anything bad by controlling it. New reactors are built to fail (shut down safetly via gravity and machine mechanism) controlled to run. If no one made it into work or didn't do anything the reactor would simply shutdown and stop working.

[@richardo2315]

Yes, I am studying this but someone needs to make uneducated conclusion because some idiots were incompetent.

[@ID-unavailable]

Such is life in the zone

[@yellowdograt]

9:04 checking out dat fine piece fam

[@noytagaming]

Which tour agency/company did you guys go through?

[@dieziy8162]

It's amazing the plant life and animal life that goes on there, i hope to see it first hand :D

[@isaisa8888]

This is fascinating 💖💖

[@accountnumber90]

I'm reading a book about different Chernobyl survivor's and their account of the accident. It's absolutely heart breaking.

[@edg6779]

So is this video I found that has the commentator describing the patients, depending on the radiation exposure specifics. And the symptoms exibited like skin dryness and hair loss to necrosis, search on youtube: "People affected by radiation during Chernobyl disaster. Radiation sickness. Part 1." Most patients have not long to live

[@dirtsmegee]

Did this guy just say "you know it's radioactive right"

[@argelisplanchart9438]

"Get out of here, STALKER"

[@Loafed_Beans]

A nuuuuu

[@gast128]

The guides there take the most risk by entering the exclusivity zone on a regular base.

[@renay7370]

Everybody gangsta until someone starts losing hair.

[@KGIV]

I agree. There is too much of a rush towards alternative energy. We have to take a very calculated approach and balance risk/rewards. Wonderful look into an area frozen in time.

[@Crouchy232323]

Great to see Simon has recovered from his CIA debrief.

[@RB-fp8hn]

Just curious about something. Why is it that whenever there's something about nuclear reactor safety, everyone's bringing up Chernobyl and Fukushima, but nobody ever mentions Three Mile Island?

[@mikefoxtrot1157]

because u don't shit in the plate u eat from buddy

[@obsoleteoptics]

Ritwik Banerjee Because TMI wasn't a catastrophe on the scale of Chernobyl and Fukushima.

[@conorsvideos]

A very interesting and thought provoking video.

[@jean-michelbrawand9609]

"The area is almost unique" Geez this guy has some high standards for what constitutes unique

[@wojtek1765]

Who remembers the sniper mission in cod ? Modern warfare

[@jackhynes7268]

Gbc Forever “Lieutenant Price the meeting is on the way enemy transport site have entered the target area”

[@MiPolska-em3ty]

I've toured Chernobyl and pripyat. It's one of the most amazing things I've ever seen in my life.

[@360JimJam]

Chad Keene were you scared of the radiation? Me and my friend are going in July

[@MiPolska-em3ty]

@@360JimJam just listen to your guide and you will be fine. Stay on trails, dont touch anything, wash your hands after and before eating. I wore a Geiger counter the whole time and recieved a dose of radiation that was less than a transatlantic flight. Bring some hand sanitizer that way you can pet the dogs that are all over.

[@lenitaa7938]

@@MiPolska-em3ty Why would you think that the Guides have your best interest at heart? This is a money-making business! And she probably gets paid extra for dangerous work.

[@MiPolska-em3ty]

@@lenitaa7938 there is a 2 hour drive from Kiev to Chernobyl. During that time you watch a great documentary about the disaster. Then we go over safety precautions, you have to wear long sleeves and pants, along with shoes that have no openings. The dangerous areas are not on the tours. These tour guides are certified through the Ukrainian government. We only went inside one building that was still safe and it was a kindergarten. You will also know at all times how much radiation you are getting because of the Geiger counter. Everywhere we went was on a trail and open areas, they have your best interests in mind. Periodically throughout the tour your go on these machines that check for radiation on you and your clothes, at the end, the police check you for radiation along with your vehicle, if you have an elevated level on you or your clothes, you dont leave until it is resolved. I fell in love with Ukraine and I am moving there in September to teach English for a year, and while there I will be doing an overnight Chernobyl tour.

[@johannesaigner8501]

@@MiPolska-em3ty I hope your cool plans have worked out :) Currently visiting Kiev and considering a trip to Chernobyl

[@mrnemo204]

7:48 Still using Windows XP? What's wrong with these people?!

[@gunfuego]

+Ardin Anester Have you seen windows 8.1 and 10? Can you blame them? Sheesh.....

[@mrnemo204]

gunfuego They can use 7 instead. XP is a legitimate security risk.

[@gunfuego]

Ardin Anester unless you know what you're doing ;)

[@janfrank3453]

Not really. Any potential Windows XP security issue will never be solved. Especially if you have a business your infrastructure might become a risk without a fix within a very short period of time. And good luck then changing your whole infrastructure ad-hoc.

[@Monocausal]

It's totally normal in science that old operating systems are used. The associated machines are built/bought for a lot of money and supposed to serve long term. Many are simply not compatible with modern OS. At my institute they still use Windows 98 and floppy disks for some machines from the 90's lol. Too cost intensive to enhance this, but as long as it works I do not see the problem as none of them are online anyway and only output simple data sets of low file size.

[@anorwayer97]

My mom that lived and grew up in the very northern part of Norway during this time (was about 20 years old around this time), recalls seeing and hearing stories about friends babies being born without eyes etc just a few years after the explosion. There were also visible differences on reindeers, I can't exactly remember what she said about it but I think it was something similar, with some reindeers being born without eyes and dying too soon. Another theory that she has about another family that they are friends with have had multiple deaths in it due to organ failures and cancer. We're talking grandparents dying off cancer, multiple health problems and babies and kids dying too soon due to problems with heart and blood etc. Heck, relatives of this family lost one of their kids just a few years ago. And it doesn't seem at all that unlikely considering how far the fallout traveled.

[@mamamarianovits9029]

This whole segment feels like an infomercial for tourism rather than a cautionary story on exclusion zone and those who visit it... or is it just me.?!

[@SidMajors]

This is just a small docu. There are a whole lot of ‘scary’ videos out there about chernobyl. And to be fair: the radiation is about as worse as a plane ride.

[@depredador93]

For a moment I thought I was watching a Dark5 video. That music at 1:40...

[@vinyleyezz]

+Maxim Betin exactly! I had the same thought!

[@Goblinshaman]

8:21 Good luck Artyom!

[@ruuuuudooooolph]

Shes so full of smiles :)

[@janeebaaby]

I could see why people would want to visit here! Adrenalin af!

[@outspolsis]

Chernobyl Diaries: Real-life edition

[@ChuckS117]

Man, those poor kids.

[@ftffighter]

+ChuckS117 I have Hashimoto's thyroiditis(autoimmune) with 2 nodules and this video only explains half of the problem...the other half is that treatment for an autoimmune disease like Hashimoto's has very limited treatment in Western Medicine...Synthroid/Levothyroxine and all of your problems will go away!! BULLSHIT! Look at forums and Facebook groups with thyroid problems. We have been having to resort to treating ourselves because the doctors don't know jack shit about Endocrinology....We have found perfect treatments on our own but doctors refuse to accept them. Poor kids indeed :(

[@obsoleteoptics]

ftffighter Cannabis?

[@Karim-ik5ij]

That building looks like it has not upgraded its equipment since 1986.