Part 2. Pripyat Before and After the Chernobyl Disaster.

Per you request, a new visual comparison for you! Today we will take a look to one of the oldest and least visited streets of Pripyat - Friendship of Nations st. This compilation is a demonstration of how the place changed over almost four decades - featuring unique, never published before images of construction works made at this street in the 1970s. As this place is the most overgrown with trees and bushes, the exact spots where photographers took their images are mostly inaccessible in modern times.
During the first years after the accideny, the city continued to be used by various Zone-related organizations, with a gradual decline around 2000. Since then, minimal maintenance has been applied to this place, so now it looks more like a forest than a city. However, exactly at this street was located the special laundry, that operated as a decontamination workshop up to 2018. You could see it even in the STALKER game series.
Feel free to ask questions about the Zone, daily life there, history, etc...!
You can find a lot of unique Chornobyl insights and archive materials on our Patreon: / thechernobylfamily .
Or buy us a coffee: www.buymeacoff...

[@Hydrogenblonde]

Both this and the previous video are very important documentations of Pripyat in the past and now. These are important works and should be cherished by all.

[@ChernobylFamily]

Thank you! Check our previous videos, as well as Patreon, you will find there much, much more...)

[@kylereese4822]

@@ChernobylFamily If there any ghosts of the towns folk or powerplant that`s where you`ll find them.... and any EVP scanner or other device searches would be 110% uncontained by electrical interference thus no false readings...

[@mirekcech6666]

Hello I would like to thank you very much for the last 2 videos about the city of Prypiat comparing the past and the present. I'm from the Czech Republic, I take photos, and Prypiat is a place I'd really like to visit one day. Once again, thank you for your work, which is very interesting. I wish the whole of Ukraine a lot of happiness, Mirek

[@ChernobylFamily]

You're very welcome! Check also previous episodes, e.g. this kzbin.info/www/bejne/gpLKe42Qltt_mpo

[@RC-nq7mg]

As bleak as soviet architecture is, pryp'yat' and chornobyl looked and looks like a gorgeous area.

[@ChernobylFamily]

If you mean specifically Chornobyl town, it is a very typical old neighborhood... can't say any different from any little town. As for Pripyat - true; however we have many examples of this architecture in e.g. Kyiv as well.

[@betadev4264]

​@@ChernobylFamilyYes. Those types of architecture can be really seen across all Eastern European countries.

[@dDAMKErkk]

I love nature 😙😙🥰🥰🥰

[@piccalillipit9211]

Im British, Ive lived 15 years in the mostly Soviet-built city of Burgas in Bulgaria, I have to say the Soviet city planning was very good, it allowed people to form "village" communities within the city, served by their own little high street of shops and facilities, local doctors and schools, plenty of green spaces and parks, we even have a small woodland 800m from my apartment. And you have to remember - Soviet architecture was not as grey, derelict and run down as it is now, in my city they are refurbishing the apartment blocks and they are bright white and modern-looking post-renovation. I obviously can't speak for ALL Soviet cities, but mine is incredibly well designed and a lovely place to live.

[@tmonkey3323]

soviet architecture was never bleak you just never saw it in its prime

[@2lol4php]

I miss this place so much..

[@hansmuller1625]

This is both beautiful and incredibly sad. It was a beautiful place back in the day. I have wanted to visit ever since i learned it was possible, a very long time ago now.

[@ChernobylFamily]

When it will become open, come. That place will not wait forever, a level of deterioration comparing to even 10 years ago is drasti and it is worsening...

[@Bac4-qu6qg7sk4v]

It was a soviet shithole...nothing beautiful about it.

[@Speeddemon3]

Simply amazing! Thank you for the time you spent publishing these incredible pictures. It's people like you that keep this city alive!

[@ChernobylFamily]

Thank you! This Saturday wait for a continuation!

[@KeritechElectronics]

The overgrowth is immense. Looking at the comparison really reminds me of The Upside Down in Stranger Things... only nothing is supernatural here. It's just a few decades without maintenance, nature reclaiming what was built by civilization.

[@ChernobylFamily]

It is true, nothing supernatural, but when you are there, the scale is overwhelming.

[@Fantomasmag]

It is very sad how the city of Pripyat looks nowadays. Thank you very much for both of your videos and I look forward to the next one.

[@ChernobylFamily]

Thank you! New are coming..)

[@EndLessValentine]

such a great job, the city looks beyond beutiful in both after and before

[@ChernobylFamily]

Thank you! Check the previous episodes too.

[@TerroxNL79]

This video is a real Masterpiece! Must have taken a lot of time editing all the right shots! Thanks !

[@ChernobylFamily]

Thank you very much! We are going to continue. We also have much from the post-disaster Zone, which you can find on our Patreon.

[@zappadow6538]

I wish I had this as a resource back when I was making my "extremely accurate" pre-meltdown map of pripyat for my history class back in school. It would have been incredible to just have the names of streets and buildings given to me rather than scouring the internet looking for the smallest scraps of info lmao😅

[@ChernobylFamily]

I remember how the first maps of Pripyat were created - given that soviet maps were classified, and on public ones Pripyat was 2×3 cm, even in the early 2000s there existed only approximate. We yet did not come to the zone at that time, but the team we later became a part of made in 2003-2008 nearly a thousands of visits to map the city, including checking the mailboxes, remaining signs, any hints... that was THE job. Once google maps appeared it became easier, but still, the less-more precise maps appeared after 2010 only.

[@mikecoackley6852]

Very interesting, thanks for sharing 👍

[@ChernobylFamily]

Thanks for watching! Check also previous episodes!

[@Dadsterful]

I was there in September 2019 and vowed to return again. Hopefully one day I will. Please God, give peace back to the world

[@DavidLinkan]

Another great video ! Please keep up with the good work. :)

[@ChernobylFamily]

Thank you...! This week hopefully :)

[@nuriqirimli6734]

Страшно подумати, скільки людських доль змінила ця трагедія. Дякую вам величезне за вашу роботу.

[@ChernobylFamily]

Пам'ятаю розмову з одним із знайомих, із тих - "якщо подумати, все, що ми втратили і отримали, все що ми любимо і цінимо сталося через те, що бетонний стаканчик 9х20 м не витримав тиску пари."

[@nuriqirimli6734]

@@ChernobylFamily 😢

[@Getoverhere666]

Мне кажется, в наши дни гораздо больше людей пострадали от войны. Миллионы? Даже не могу точно сказать - потеряли всё или убиты.

[@nuriqirimli6734]

@@Getoverhere666 Сучасна рашка нічим не відрізняється від совка, а в деяких випадках і перевершила його.

[@Getoverhere666]

@@nuriqirimli6734 это точно.

[@KateRVN]

Дякую за це відео було дуже сумно бачити всі будіві. Матінка природа дуже розумна у відновленні речей. мені сумно за втрату Прип’яті і за війну. Будь ласка будьте в безпеці мені подобається дивитися на ваші роботи. Велике спасибі.

[@jounneejr8073]

Another great video, thanks!

[@ChernobylFamily]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@yogenderlochub]

I feel the history slide in front of my eyes while watching this video, thanks for making this content

[@ChernobylFamily]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@ryanjimj]

After having to wait a couple days to watch this, I see the wait was well worth it. I enjoyed watching the video. However, I have a couple things I would like to mention/ ask. The first is: Would it be an issue to make the text stay on the screen longer, as it is I had to pause the video quite frequently just to read the captions. And finally. I feel like the audio is a little too loud. Although it could just be me. Overall, you did a wonderful job on the video. I'm looking forward to the next video!

[@ChernobylFamily]

Thank you, noted! This format of videos is experimental, so there is much to improve. In the scope of this very district of Pripyat, I advice to check this old episode, kzbin.info/www/bejne/gpLKe42Qltt_mpo where you can see that in fact this street is the only that matches the very original project of the city that was never implemented.

[@stanislavnepochatov8381]

I was in Pripyat in 2017. Magnificent place. I was hoping to see something grim dark and apocalyptic. Like in game. And at morning when our group was on Duga it was very grim. But after noon sun came out. And I was suprised how whole city were consumed by nature. Yes people left their home and it was a tragedy. But at least something can grow and habit on this poisoned soil.

[@ChernobylFamily]

Exactly.

[@teresanotarmaso1932]

The Tree of Friendship monument was beautiful!

[@jimmymiller77]

Do you think we will ever be able to tour Chornobyl again ?? If so, any guess when ?? Thanks a million for your help.. Jim Sorry... I forgot to say what a Fantastic video. I have never seen any of your before photos. Great Job...

[@ChernobylFamily]

In some form tours will return, but when is a good question. Though I expect they will be very different and with way stricter limitations on taking photos and videos. There will be more videos like this - need to sit on our archives to find more image combinations. Thank you!

[@pleiadecca]

As with your other video works, this is beautifully videographed and scored. I have great empathy for the Ukrainian (and all other) people who got caught up in this stunning calamity. Your video is soothing and peaceful, and yet I sense underlying sadness here. Well done and thank you. I look forward to seeing your other works.

[@ChernobylFamily]

Thank you! Check the new one

[@jwmeng]

Wonderful video. Thanks. As you said in another video about Slavutych, there is definitely so much of "childhood and broken dreams" here. Gives me a feeling of Bromont, actually, another lost place of technology on the global map that still isn't dead yet. Similar climate too ;)

[@ChernobylFamily]

Thank you!

[@scotthjackson5651]

Hello Chornobyl Family, I love your videos and the passion you bring to the subject. I know it is not your normal focus (i.e. computers and robotics), but I would love to see some videos on the environmental situation in Pripyat and other most-affected areas. Have there been attempts to use bio-remediation (i.e. ecological decontamination using plants, bacteria, fungus or other natural elements) as a way of restoring or decontaminating the affected natural environments? What are the limits of science and engineering when it comes to restoring the environmental situation, the ecosystems, etc? It would be very interesting to have interviews with experts that have been involved in this aspect. All the best.

[@ChernobylFamily]

To be honest, described is in our field of initerest, just due to war conditions we cannot film footage required for a proper presentation at the moment. So it will come, but it is open question when. However, on Patreon we from a time to time publish translated documents on subjects like this, e.g. check Chernobyl '88 series of posts.

[@mark-x8w8r]

So very interesting, hoping to visit one day!

[@ChernobylFamily]

Thank you! Check our Chornobyl Uncharted documentary series, Ep03 is in production already!

[@dondywondy]

Fantastic work! These are actual images of a post-apocalyptic city, where humans no longer inhabit. It is eerie and emotional seeing these images. At the same time while watching I thought how so many men and women worked to build the city against a backdrop of soviet malfeasance and corruption. So sad for the people who labored with their hands and heart.

[@ChernobylFamily]

I am planning some continuation in a close perspective... need to dig in and select more pictures.

[@cleideramosdasilva5426]

Imagine living in Pripyat and suddenly you are told that you have to leave the city and everything you had goes crazy.

[@ChernobylFamily]

Happened to our close friends, so... no real need to imagine.

[@videokompuuter]

good choice of music also.

[@ChernobylFamily]

For now the same as in the previous episode:)

[@ChernobylFamily]

@NerdyNEET LOL.

[@strfltcmnd.9925]

Install the book store in the dorm, pretty clever idea.

[@MariaGarcia-eg4wk]

Love the video keep it coming,❤❤😊

[@ChernobylFamily]

Thank you! Will do!

[@andrewprettyquick2070]

Has to be maintained* for future generations. *"prevent it falling down".

[@ChernobylFamily]

There were really big plans that were about to be implemented - I directly participated in that. Ruzzian invasion stopped all:(.

[@jounneejr8073]

I hope your whole country will have liberty and peace soon.

[@ChernobylFamily]

We all hope for this. Thank you!

[@betadev4264]

​@@ChernobylFamilyYeah it would be a good idea. I've seen pictures of the hotel building at Pripyat almost collapsing (cracks can be seen on the roof part with the iconic place for the famous Call of Duty ""Chernobyl"" mission it had) Really hope that the invasion ends soon.

[@eddi5190]

prypiat is very strange, but beautiful in the same way...its a city frozen in time

[@ChernobylFamily]

Well said.

[@dkraft]

The "Oldest Grocery Store" - for example - when was it placed into service - what year did it open? Thanks for your wonderful compositions.

[@ChernobylFamily]

~1975. Before that the Firefly and Berizka were sources of food stuffs. But I know personally the director of the grocery store you mentioned, I will ask her and come to you

[@dkraft]

@@ChernobylFamily Thank You. I am fascinated with the life leading up to the '86. Was it secretive? Who made the idea of the town happen? Was it exciting for the people building the town or did it seem like just another soviet endeavor? Were the jobs top paying to entice people or was it just another project and had to use the brochures to sell people on moving? Was it like an Oil Boom town? The older photos seem far less populated than I imagined. Also these winter photos illustrate more real life than the summer idealistic photos - how hard was it? how short is the summer there ? Was electricity low cost in the town? Was food expensive due to import location ? What about the river - was it a destination of recreation or just utilitarian cooling?

[@MsKiTTy1138]

You should have done this in ALL your shots. STAND WHERE THE PHOTOGRAPHER STOOD. At time mark 9:49 YOU NAILED IT.

[@ChernobylFamily]

Haha, although technically I TOTALLY agree with you, I am afraid you do not imagine how complex to achieve that nowadays. In many cases those places are blocked by vegetation that much, that you won't have any meaningful image even if you somehow get to the point - the result will be just very very solid mesh of branches... in the previous part there are a few examples, e.g. near vocational school. Plus, we don't know which lens were used, that makes the difference when you reproduce a shot. Anyway, we are going to continue!

[@MsKiTTy1138]

@@ChernobylFamily Ahh your here I'm viewing your 1st one now I left a comment there as well. but I didn't consider that some shots may have been difficult to get due to obstructions sorry about that. left comment on this one I think you'll like. kzbin.info/www/bejne/gqCve2CJmJmSmLs

[@MsKiTTy1138]

@@ChernobylFamily JUST SUBBED TO YOUR CHANNEL.

[@ChernobylFamily]

THANK YOU CHECK OTHER VIDEOS TOO WE HAVE EPIC STUFF OUT HERE.

[@MsKiTTy1138]

@@ChernobylFamily I'm binge watching ALL your vids this could take the day LOL

[@СергейЛегуша-л9о]

Трагічно і ностальгічно. Але хороше відео. Чекаю продовження )

[@ChernobylFamily]

Дякуємо. Буде!

[@Mr.HaraldTheMan]

I wonder what happened to the Hydrofoil Raketa and Meteor which sailed on the city's riverside

[@ChernobylFamily]

Many were based in Belarus or Kyiv. A few that were under repair remained at the bay in Chornobyl town (there was a repair base for river fleet)

[@Mr.HaraldTheMan]

@@ChernobylFamily I know that there was a Repair Base for the River Fleet but there was also a River Station for the Hydrofoils and the River Station even had a Cafe called Cafe Pripyat and the Station exists today and there was also a Floating Pier called the D-241 and from what I've read it broke off after the disaster but it still exists today so it would be great to see them aswell if we get more Before and After videos

[@ChernobylFamily]

@@Mr.HaraldTheMan do you mean right now Pripyat or town of Chornobyl? Because in both of them there were stations and cafes with those names. In any case, I have pre-disaster pictures of both, so will include them into future episodes!

[@jenniferpesquera648]

People who were live in pripyat and they thought they were going to come back to their homes and apartments with their family and friends and family members. I felt bad for those who try to come back to their homes and apartments. That makes everyone very upset about that they didn't get to go back where it was use to be a beautiful town of pripyat fill with people and families with the kids and friends and family members. Now no one was there ever since the explosion of 1986 that killed 31 workers.

[@ChernobylFamily]

Not really no one. There were a few large organized visits in 1986 where former inhabitants could pick a limited number of their belongings; many of those people revisited the city in that or another way years after. However, there are many who never ever came back, either because they live now very very far, or because they just want to keep in memory the alive city, not those ruins. Anyway... we for a few times were "guiding" former inhabitants. I put that word in quotes as it was not a tour - as they lived there - but more a provision of a safety and assistance of finding a way to that or another spot. A very, very hard experience.

[@vfigplays]

6:12 ah! the Берізна grocery store! i remember this wall with the three birch trees on it from Stalker: Call of Pripyat. i always thought it was a beautiful bit of art-and now the trees in front are mirroring those in the wall…

[@ChernobylFamily]

Yes. It is such a little piece of art not so many know about as that district was not that popular in tourism times; but it is lovely. I remember that store before it collapsed, there was a little birch tree growing on its stairs.

[@lucasquintanilla1673]

My impression with the Chernobyl area is that there are really three main dangers. The first one and most obvious is that of residual radiation although apparently that’s only present in significant amounts in a few locations away from the former reactor itself. The second danger, and the ones that I have always thought would be more likely to be a problem is the wildlife as the combination of feral dogs and wolves, moving into the area with humanity, having disappeared has led to an explosion of both predators and prey. The third danger and one a lot of people probably don’t think about is that a lot of these buildings are very unstable now, and will only grow more rickety as time goes on. I’ve heard that some people have gotten seriously injured falling through the floor in abandoned buildings. Honestly as the decades go on and we reach 50 years since the disaster, I wonder how much will be left. By April 2086, exactly 100 years after the end of the community I wonder how many traces of the town will be left. That being said, I have always associated the area after the disaster as being a place where nature has truly taken over and has made use of the land that no longer be utilized by humanity. One can see the images of trees and overgrowth in a depressing way and I can’t blame someone who once lived in that area before the disaster for seeing it that way. However, I have thought of it as the beginning of new life especially in the warmer months when pictures indicate a lot of greenery and probably there would be a lot of animal life going around there too at that time of year. As someone who has never been outside of North America, I can’t say what it must be like over there for certain, but I would think that on sunny days with a lot of greenery. It’s probably a lot less depressing and scary than one would think

[@ChernobylFamily]

You said everything very correctly in fact; the only thing I'd correct is arrangement of dangers. Radiation is at the last place, we charted almost everything, we have maps and equipment and deal with all that based on regulations and protocols. So it is an unpleasant, but a predictable reality. Danger #1 are wild animals. We have even bears, and those are bigger and far more aggressive than american ones. Wolves are less dangerous than wild boars; and all that has issues with a risk of zoonosis infections and nasty things as rabies (very rare, but happens), because to make a vaccination even by wildlife protocols is not easy at this terrain. As for bad shape of structures and terrain: very true. And that's why better never go alone anywhere. To this we should now add russian landmines. They left too many.

[@lucasquintanilla1673]

@@ChernobylFamily well, I must say that if they left any in the red forest at the very least people who are in charge of clearing land, mines won’t have to bother going through there to do it since we know anyone who ventures in there is probably going to die anyway if they go very deep. Are the only really dangerous areas when it comes to radiation the red forest and former reactor number four? Something rather interesting when it comes to the Chernobyl exclusion zone in my opinion is the lesser known Belarusian areas of the zone as since this was already a rural area before the disaster. There wasn’t all that much that had been built before the end so as a result , it really has been one of the areas that nature has truly taken over since the small villages that were in that area seem to have become ideal communities for cats, wolves and owls to make homes out of. Considering that this area is less frequented by tourists than the abandoned city I’ve heard that it is actually far more preserved than many areas of the city so long as animals haven’t gotten to the house. I’ve heard in many cases, the windows have been broken not by erosion or humans, but by bears, breaking and entering to find abandoned jars of jam or something like that. I saw a wild life documentary about the old Chernobyl area recently and it mentioned that. When you think about it, the Chernobyl exclusion zone, especially the Belarusian areas is perhaps the one place on earth where regardless of what happens with climate change. The security of the animals is actually more or less guaranteed since the radiation that they have been exposed to for decades, and the fact that the animals themselves are radioactive many times means that anyone foolish enough to try to disturb them will regret it if the animals don’t get to them first. not to mention that even if catastrophes happened in the zone like wildfires like what has happened from time to time happened then the animals could surprisingly easily re-populate there and I know a lot of animals from other areas have migrated to the zone. There is a reason that I have long thought of Chernobyl as “the radioactive wilderness preserve”

[@lucasquintanilla1673]

@@ChernobylFamily many decades from now when it becomes 100 years since the disaster in 2086 just how much do you think will be left of the evidence that human civilization ever really existed there?

[@ChernobylFamily]

~200-250 years.

[@lucasquintanilla1673]

@@ChernobylFamily are you saying that you think there will be evidence of human civilization until about that point in your opinion?

[@gerardmartin6448]

Please leave the text up for longer so that we can read them . Thanks. ❤🇮🇪❤

[@ChernobylFamily]

@@gerardmartin6448 deal!

[@luddite333]

the art at 6 13 seems to have had a vision into the future - what an amazing vision this is but also unfortunate

[@ChernobylFamily]

Very true. Many people noticed that as well.

[@simondavis5382]

Hey may I ask in 2018 there was a building that ceased manufacturing? What was it manufacturing?

[@ChernobylFamily]

Originally it was a laundry for surroundinng dorms; later it was converted to a decontamination workshop (specialized laundry) for Chornobyl NPP where they washed staff clothes. It was convenient, because Pripyat is nearby. Up to ~2000 in the city operated many facilities, even the swimming pool which still was active in 1996.

[@cho7707]

Pripyat was legendary.

[@ChernobylFamily]

And still is.

[@leungchan4443]

你好，我是中國人，由於英語能力欠佳，所以只能用中文溝通，謝謝你的視頻，如果能夠有中文字幕就會太理想，看到這個地方，眼淚忍不住的滴出來。

[@Asdrubale01]

why d’you ban my link to google translate, that can give him an hand to comunicate?

[@ChernobylFamily]

We don't ban anything, it seems it is somehow automatically filtered...(((

[@qmacaulay69]

I allways find how decay on structures to start out okish then rapidly get more and more decayed as covers and plant growth happens decay all most doubles and it gets to the point in witch thing could look from still standing almost unrecognizable after only 10 or so years

[@ChernobylFamily]

You are close to truth. The only thing I'd add that in the case of Pripyat for the first 15 years it was relatively ok, but then, quantity of trees started to double every few years and I see a visible difference between e.g. 2011 and 2023.

[@dragancens]

I am very surprised how people write positive comments about something that is soviet heritage a how people write that "It is wonderful... It is gorgeous.... Whata beauty" ets..... I am used to comment about ugly and gray Soviet monuments, dark period, represion, hard times..... I am like your work, keep going....

[@ChernobylFamily]

@@dragancens see, from our practice, when people speak about Pripyat, it somehow out of Soviet context. The image of the city is very much idealized, it became a thing in itself, sometimes far from reality. While it actually had problems and all features of the soviet city, at the same time, many things were pretty much different compared to an average level. The reason... it appeared artificially, brought young people together... it did not have a time to degrade, so it gives that bright impression. If it'd be alive and running, I guess it won't give even a bit of that.

[@ffcazares]

The text disappears too quickly on this video to be able to read

[@ChernobylFamily]

Noted

[@jetraid]

Anyone have to make a 3d model of Pripyat before the cathasthope in unreal engine

[@ChernobylFamily]

There is a Pripyat3D project which is slowly going for the last 15 years... I cant say anything about its current progress though. I recall how in 2011 we have been making special visits to take textures of say, floors or tiles on specific walls for it.

[@Lone_Coyote]

I remember seeing an image from 2013 featuring a building next to a flag pole that still had a Soviet flag waving. Do you know if it still is there? Would be kind of cool to see more pictures of it. It is really a time capsule. Thank you for the videos.

[@ChernobylFamily]

Yes, remember that one; as I can recall that flag was not really a flag, but a piece of a modern red cloth someone hanged. It was there maybe for a few days, because frankly no one was happy seeing that (simply, among staff and residents dominates the point that that state killed the city).

[@Lone_Coyote]

@@ChernobylFamily I knew it was too good to be true, a flag waving for +25 years would look too deteriorated, especially because of weather conditions, that one looks like it was made with a premium material or something, but now thanks to your comment we know the true story. I'm glad you replied, keep your videos and good vibes up my comrade!

[@Xingjiang10]

Easily my favourite town, would have loved to live there if i were alive at the time. Sad to know itll be gone someday forever

[@ChernobylFamily]

...and after years spent there, we still cant imagine that place alive.

[@Xingjiang10]

@@ChernobylFamily I just gotta see that place with my own eyes before it's just dust in the wind. Hopefully someday

[@Worldize]

Was Pripyat constantly being worked on and being built until the blast? I heard they were going to add more apartments but not sure if they just canceled that part of the plans?

[@ChernobylFamily]

It was under active construction with more districts planned, this is why a huge sand plateau was created north from the river port; From what is easier to see on location is the part of the District IV bounding Builder avenue, where construction stopped on April 26, 1986 - there are still plenty of unfinished buildings. To be honest, that very place for me was the sharpest illustration of how quick things happened there, as all that building gear was just left in the position it was.

[@foxbox_9582]

Name of music please?

[@ChernobylFamily]

Check the last 2 seconds of the video for credits.

[@jaydaykoth]

Where do you get these pictures?

[@ChernobylFamily]

Well, we are on-site researchers of the Chernobyl Zone for 15 years, so we have large archives (see the channel description). Some things we buy, some get from former residents, some we have from own collections. Typically we post archive images on Patreon, but where it is possible to create this kind of videos, it goes here.

[@jaydaykoth]

@@ChernobylFamily oh cool

[@ChernobylFamily]

Check our other videos. We have much interesting here.

[@erickpinedalugo1895]

Music?

[@ChernobylFamily]

Ambient by Kevin Macleod

[@Thaface]

Need to paus everytime the text commes up, waaay to fast texting

[@ChernobylFamily]

I am sorry, it is nearly the first try... so next will be better.

[@Thaface]

@@ChernobylFamily no problem :D !

[@chrisfitch4463]

Please could you keep the writing on a bit longer. Not everyone can read fast. Thank you....such a lovely place, sadly nature is taking it over 😢

[@ChernobylFamily]

I will try my best! But I think I will make voiceovers in the next episodes.

[@chrisfitch4463]

@@ChernobylFamily Thank you. I would appreciate that 🙂🙂🙂

[@douglasdjcosta]

Wow! Part 2

[@ChernobylFamily]

Enjoy!

[@piccalillipit9211]

*THAT WAS AMAZING* Im trying to capture what life was like under communism [socialism] for the ordinary people in my city, as Westerner we were told it was unbelievably horrible, everyone was miserable all the time, they had nothing and they all wanted to come to the West. Apparently, this was a LIE. The people I have talked to had good lives, they were happy and they miss socialism. It would be wrong to generalise a continent from one city, but this video shows - PEOPLE HAD LIVES --> Rich complex lives, they had facilities and universities, they had cafes and bars, they lived varied lives just as we did in the West. It was NOT the monolith of misery we were told.

[@ChernobylFamily]

I'd advice to be super careful here; Pripyat was a big exception, if you want to get an average soviet life, look at Chernobyl town. In many cases people share opinions based on nostalgia and self-protection capability of mind to forget bad in favour of good. And quite often that makes to forget we did not have freedom.

[@piccalillipit9211]

@@ChernobylFamily- Obviously its hard to get an idea of the past, people do suffer from nostalgia. But I have talked to maybe 250 people in the region of Burgas Bulgaria and the biggest takeaway I have is that our Western propaganda was very lazy. Its not that socialism was utopia or great, its that the things WE were told were horrible were not the things that the people living it thought were horrible. The lack of freedom of movement is one thing that comes up a lot. Here there were endless police checkpoints. You had to get permission to leave the area. But no one said they were miserable and h4t3d it and they are pleased its in the past. OH they didnt like the snitches thats another common thing.

[@ChernobylFamily]

@@piccalillipit9211 this is a very good statistical base to be representative and the way how you see it is actually a good point. I just carefully want to add one thing: Bulgaria was an affiliated state, but not a part of the Soviet Union (while inside the ussr it was often perceived as "almost one more republic"). Things there were in many cases easier than inside the Union.

[@piccalillipit9211]

@@ChernobylFamily- this is ALSO a very good point for us Westerners - we were told its all the same, its homogonous, identical, miserable - its a uniform block of oppression, misery, and grey buildings. Whereas in reality it was different in different countries and even here in Bulgaria your experience would vary depending on the city or town you lived in. Whereas my friends in Romania - their parents had a horrific time. She used to get a pig's ear as a treat to chew on at Christmas. I dont want to romanticise it an any way. But I thnk the important thing for Westerners to know is, for good and bad, it was nothing like we were told. Its not that it was better or worse - its that is was DIFFERENT - and just how effective and misleading propaganda is...

[@leopiipponen7693]

Map is nice :)

[@ChernobylFamily]

Thank you! An annotated version will be soon available on our Patreon shop.

[@Dream48367]

Чи можливо зробити такеж відео але про містечко Поліське.

[@ChernobylFamily]

Мм... подивимся що є по архівним даним. Ми в Поліському були разів 10, але давно і в основному у частині біля "дитячого світу" та універмагу.

[@shrinivasexe]

6:15 Ironic...

[@ChernobylFamily]

So true

[@Damien.D]

There aren't that much places on earth where you can visit a city through time.

[@ChernobylFamily]

Very true.

[@BananaBalintYT]

Prypiat and chernobly its diferent cities? Or prypiat its chernobyl on google maps its looks different prypiat another place and chernobly another place

[@ChernobylFamily]

Chornobyl is 850+ years old town (population 14700 as for 1986), formerly center of the administrative district (county) of Chornobyl, while Pripyat (population 49500 as on 1986) is a city built specifically for the Chornobyl power plant since 1970. The distance between them is roughly 12 km, and in their daily life they were not related to each other. However, colloquially in English language a word 'Chornobyl' is used for entire exclusion zone following the name of the NPP which was named after Chornobyl (town) because during the initial stage of its construction Pripyat did not yet exist.

[@BSD2000]

Interesting how they built everything out of bricks, cement stucco and broken tiles to mimic 'modern' buildings.

[@ChernobylFamily]

That is pretty much true but only for this 1st district and dorm quarter - both are heritage of the Chernobyl DRES project circa 1968, so they had most of the projects used originating from the late 60-s. In further development of the city already quite expensive materials were used.

[@4x_7]

This is really sad

[@BananaBalintYT]

Why no one planing to clear the smth remains from explode power plant

[@ChernobylFamily]

No one? You cannot be serious. This is a subject of a very hard work ongoing for 3 decades by multiple organizations. Google ISTS Shelter, SIP project, Institute of Nuclear Power Plants Safety, etc, etc, etc. The problem is that that task is exceptionally complex. And we don't speak about 'remains' of the power plant, bit its affected part. That facility is giant.

[@madmeister407]

Trees and shrubbery appear to thrive when exposed to radiation.

[@ChernobylFamily]

i'd say they are just ignorant to the levels which are present now, and the key factor contributing to the ongoing sprawl is minimal intrusion by humans; the radio-sensitivity of vegetation varies very much between species, and to have any visible effects caused by radiation a really high level is needed; even in (original) Red Forest not everything died because of overexposure - mostly pine trees, the sensitivity of which is very high.

[@paulhenry6105]

So sad!

[@ChernobylFamily]

Yes.

[@pokemilfhunter622]

family 😢

[@argopunk]

It actually looks better with more trees. The buildings were horribly dull. Not that I'm glad what happened but those buildings were never nice looking.

[@dDAMKErkk]

I LOVE the nature - not - city

[@ChernobylFamily]

The nature in Chernobyl region always was spectacular... my parents remember it before the disaster, I recall their stories. Now it all looks even more impressive.

[@Getoverhere666]

The new pictures look like a typical Russian town (not evacuated) now

[@ChernobylFamily]

)))))) well noted

[@beyondfossil]

Haunting. This will be constant reminder never to embark on the foolishness that is commercial nuclear energy. No to nuclear energy! ☢💀

[@ChernobylFamily]

No. Very much yes to it, especially to small modular reactors. Excuse me, this accident happened nearly 40 years ago with a machine which belonged to very very old generation of reactors (similar story at Fukushima Dai Ichi) with a substantial influence of soviet-specific low level of safety culture, and since then technologies advanced very very much. Moreover, remaining Chernobyl reactors passed such a deep modernization after that there were no significant reactor-specific flaws in their further operation until permanent shutdown. Plus... given we are in Ukraine, our nuclear power is the only thing which keeps us with energy; all the rest were bоmbеd.

[@beyondfossil]

​@@ChernobylFamily Unfortunately, commercial nuclear power is just about the most expensive form of energy per MWh. Every new nuclear power plant construction ends up billions over-budget and years over-schedule almost without fail. Over the last 70+ years since commercial nuclear started, it only powers 10% of the world's grids and actually falling. Germany has completely abandoned nuclear. France is a poster-child for loving nuclear but their fleet is reaching end of life and they've not built a new nuclear power plant since the late 1990s. That says something. SMR will be even more expensive per MWh because they are much smaller and overhead and fixed cost per reactor add up. The proposed lower cost per MWh only comes up after 1000 units produced and that's only a rough estimate. The factory to create the SMR units does not even exist yet and will be a very advanced factory indeed if ever built. Nuclear is the only form of energy that can result in cataclysmic results of the many thousand-year variety. It simply is not worth the expense or the risk. What's more important is that the next 10 to 20 years will be critical to avoid the worst of global warming according UN IPCC reports. Yet it takes 10 to 20 years to complete construction of a _single_ nuclear power plant! New construction nuclear won't even make a dent in the amount of energy needed to displace fossil fuels. Every dollar spent on new nuclear construction right now actually slows the much-needed energy transition. Meanwhile, renewables are growing at huge rates. Solar generation in US is growing at large 30% compound annual growth rate (CAGR). The US current solar annual generation of 200TWh will blow past their nuclear annual 800TWh somewhere in 2027 to 2033 then completely leave nuclear in the dust. US nuclear generation growth may only be 1.5% CAGR and that's being generous. All that, and I haven't mentioned US wind power which currently exceeds their solar power. China's renewable growth rates are multiples of the US! The worst enemy of commercial nuclear is nuclear itself. They've proven themselves expensive, slow, and too risky over their 70 years history.

[@luccac6247]

@@beyondfossil written and brought to you by an radical eco terrorist. Heck typed on from a device that consists of oil by products. You were saying?

[@uweschmidt6052]

Wer soll das bezahlen???

[@ashrafofficialvlog]

😢😢😢😢😢😢😢

[@deanreinke1148]

not meant to stand forever, the whole town was cheaply and poorly built. Much of it is crumbling through the years.

[@ChernobylFamily]

I confidently can say it was not a cheaply and poorly built. What happens to it is a natural deterioration as it receives no maintenance - that the scheduled maintenance term for the buildings finished in 1986 passed in 2006, not saying about earlier finished structures. Now is 2023. The result we can see is pretty logical outcome in a humid windy environment, and in described conditions it in many cases doing pretty well for its age.

[@DTczsk1999]

We miss USSR! 😢

[@ChernobylFamily]

We don't. You are welcome.

[@BananaBalintYT]

Russian drives into prypiat when came first time the war on 2022

[@ChernobylFamily]

Yes. And we have been literally 20 km afar from them at that day. Barely saved our lives.

[@Asdrubale01]

the damage was much greater in chernobyl than in fukushima, where they were also hit from the earthquake and tsunami, the only real cause of the nuclear disaster; but the way the japanese staff was perfectly trained and organized is something russians can't even imagine... how much difference...💛💙

[@ChernobylFamily]

Yes. Though I'd not agree for 100% - the thing is, a few our teammates from the Chornobyl Zone went to Fukushima very shortly after their disaster; one thing they noticed is a terrible organization of dosimetry control at checkpoints at that period. In other words, a massive part of Japan is contaminated because vehicles spread it with their wheels. Things, of course, improved, but the damage has been taken.

[@sasibee39]

RECORD MORE VIDEOS

[@ChernobylFamily]

ALL RIGHT

[@sasibee39]

GONE ALL THE WAY TO BENSHEIM TO FINALLY COME BACK TO PRIPYAT ... MAYBE THERE YOU WILL PROTECT YOUR AREA BETTER

[@ChernobylFamily]

WHAT THIS IS SUPPOSED TO MEAN?

[@MiamiMillionaire]

I'm afraid if this stupid senseless war goes on like this, the rest of Ukrainian will look like this in 30 years, if noth all of Europe 😢

[@ChernobylFamily]

Google Maxim Dondyuk. It is one of Ukrainian war photographers, my good friend. He has the so-called Untitled Project about Chornobyl; and I recall his comment - that all around looks so much as it is in the war zone of 2014-2022.