there, and was exposed to 100 REM (Roentgen Equivalent Man) - four times the allowed maximum of 25 REM. Sooner or later that debt is paid". Legasov nasceu em 1936, em Tula, ao sul de Moscou, em uma famlia de trabalhadores civis. By the time of his death, Legasov had been exposed to 150 rem (1.5 Sv) of radiation, which was far above safe levels. [7], Legasov married Margarita Mikhailovna and had two children, Inga Legasova and Aleksey Valeryevich. MagicalQuote. Probably, he didnt want to be a burden on my mother. Kiev is less than 400 miles from Chernobyl, It was almost by accident that he found himself included in the state commission on response to the Chernobyl disaster on April 26, 1986, his daughter Inga Legasova recalls. The real conflict was between Legasov and another senior scientist not shown so far in the show. From a safety point of view, it even stood out as being better, as I understood from the discussions. The fact of the matter is, if he didnt know how it worked, he would never have had a lab. But in the past year two books, one by a historian and the other by a journalist, have attempted to tell the definitive documentary story of the disaster. Science, like art, does not tolerate intermediate links. This plan was rejected on 26 April 1988, the day before his death. When asked, by the prosecutor, why the reactor was designed this way, Legasov cites the same reason that other safety precautions are ignored and other corners are cut: Its cheaper. He seems to be damning the whole system. An uninformed, arbitrary decision that will cost who knows how many lives that is made by some apparatchik, some career Party man? Yes, of course this is the way it works, and, no, he hasnt been in his lab so long that he didnt realize that this is how it works. Alexievichs book about Chernobyl was published in Russian in 1997, more than ten years after one of the reactors at the Chernobyl power plant exploded, in what was probably the worst nuclear accident in history. Legasov was . Read more quotes from Valery Legasov. With hundreds of free documentaries published and categorised every month, there's something for every taste. After two years at the plant, he finally joined the Kurchatov Institute. [7] Legasov reassured Gorbachev by phone that scale of contamination was understood and the reactor was not a continuing threat to other countries. Who would like that? [7], At Vnukovo airport, Legasov met Boris Shcherbina, the head of the government commission dealing with the accident response. 5 most deadly industrial and transportation disasters in the USSR, How Hollywood feeds lies about Soviet history, Chernobyl is NOT Russia: A geography lesson of the disaster. of the show. Even though one was only allowed to spend a maximum of two weeks at the site, Legasov spent four months (!) Episode 2, debut 5/13/19: Stellan Skarsgrd, Jared Harris. Instead, it is filled by an entirely fictional, fantastical trial at which a large group of peoplescientists, we are toldare given an accurate assessment of events in an accessible, brilliant speech, the likes of which Soviet courts didnt feature. Steven Brust. In the absence of a Chernobyl narrative, the makers of the series have used the outlines of a disaster movie. That is how an RBMK reactor core explodes. At that time, Legasov went ahead and masterfully absolved Soviet science in front of the world in Vienna conference by being somewhat transparent about the operations of Soviet nuclear industry. [1] Around June 1987, he attempted suicide but was saved by his colleagues. [1] Even before the Chernobyl disaster, Legasov was known to stress the need for new security and safety methods to prevent large catastrophes. https://legasovtapetranslation.blogspot.com/. Only eight years after his suicide in 1996 did Legasov receive a posthumous honorary title of Hero of the Russian Federation for the "courage and heroism" shown in his investigation of the disaster, awarded by then-president Boris Yeltsin. Resignation was the defining condition of Soviet life. Written by Craig Mazin. Velikhov in particular was concerned that the reactor remains could melt deep into the ground, as shown in the US film The China Syndrome. ", "Responsabilites Occidentales Dans les Consequences Sanitaires de la Catastrophe de Tchernobyl, en Bielorussie, Ukraine et Russie", "Western responsibility regarding the health consequences of the Chernobyl catastrophe in Belarus, the Ukraine and Russia", "Chernobyl scientist's suicide described", " - .. He wasn't threatened or bullied by the KGB, he wasn't thrown out of his office or anythin. [2] In 19491954, he attended School No. Biografia. He was assigned to compile a report for the International Atomic Energy Agency about the causes and aftermath of the accident. In the first episode, for example, during an emergency meeting of the Pripyat ispolkom, the towns governing council, an elder statesman, Zharkov (Donald Sumpter), delivers a chilling, and chillingly accurate, speech, urging his compatriots to have faith. We seal off the city, Zharkov says. [1] Legasov recorded his memoir The Legasov Testament using audio tapes[7][30] where he described his involvement with the Chernobyl liquidation. Viktor Alekseyevich Sidorenko had repeatedly criticised it. There have been stories in the media in Russia and abroad, many of them on the odd tourist industry that has sprung up in the disaster zone; there has been a BBC documentary and a bizarre American-Ukrainian documentary. Terms of Use In January 1986, Legasov co-authored a propaganda piece in Soviet Life magazine claiming there had been no nuclear accidents that had seriously threatened personnel or risked contamination, which ignored multiple serious nuclear incidents in the Soviet Union. A lady is nothing very specific. I was reading some portions of it but it felt as if he was mainly speaking on what happened and his experiences. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement and Your California Privacy Rights. "[5] Journalists Vladimir Stepanovich Gubarev and Yuriy Shcherbak claim that his suicide was a conscious attempt to draw attention to the lack of nuclear safety in the Soviet Union. Valery Legasov : There was nothing sane about Chernobyl. It has the complete transcript of the tapes in english. When I looked at this device, I was confused by, for example, an unusual and, in my opinion, insufficient construction of safety systems, that would work in extreme situations. [7] Legasov developed a plan to extinguish the reactor fire using nitrogen gas pumped throughout the plant's pipe network but the pipes were too badly damaged to be effective. The show opens with Legasov's . officials denied the threat to the public. The Crown's Jared Harris plays impassioned scientist Valery Legasov.He became a key member of the government commission created to investigate the causes of Chernobyl and to plan the mitigation of . But he wasnt, he wasnt an ambitious man, his daughter believes. He felt the ill will from his colleagues and was depressed by the lack of initiatives to prevent more catastrophes like Chernobyl in the future. No carafe, no vodka in the workplace in front of a hostile stranger, and no boasting Im in charge.. We cut the phone lines. The real Valery Legasov did not single-handedly avert the apocalypse. magicalquote.com. single initiator of events, because it was like a closed circle, To be a scientist is to be naive. Valery Legasov : And now Dyatlov will spend the next ten years in a prison labor camp. Sooner or later, that debt is paid. [1] Legasov only spoke up to admit that scientists had failed in their duty[1] and that he had been warning about the safety problems of the RBMK reactor for years but nothing had been done. [7] Under his leadership, a scientific school was created in the newest section of inorganic chemistry chemistry of noble gases. [36] Legasov's daughter commented "It was not an emotional breakdown, it was a deliberate, thoroughly considered act. Valery Legasov is the 31st most popular chemist (down from 25th in 2019), the 117th most popular biography from Russia (down from 90th in 2019) and the 3rd most popular Russian Chemist. In the final episode, Legasov, testifying as a witness, tells a Soviet court that the disaster happened because the tips of the control rods were made of graphite, which sped up the reaction, when . First-run syndicated television programs in the United States, Television series by Warner Bros. Television, Television series by Ralph Edwards Productions, American television series . In August 1986, Valery Legasov presented the Chernobyl report at the meeting of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna. [5], the information I had convinced me that not everything was well in the development of nuclear energy, as it seemed to me Science organizations began to weaken, not strengthen. And cut the phone lines. Chernobyl accident. He was buried at the Novodevichy Cemetery in Moscow. Father checked the numbers over and over again. [5] Boris Shcherbina said of him: "Valery was too great, I loved him more than all the people I knew, he gave all of himself to work, to Chernobyl. about evacuation of the nearby city of Pripyat. HBOs latest drama series Chernobyl paints a rather accurate picture of None of this is possible, and all of it is hackneyed. They gave the information that was allowed and the report was honest I think the problem was not in secret data. Legasov found that the plant personnel were ready to do anything, but they had no real understanding of how to plan and organise. Valery Alexeyevich Legasov (01 September 1936 27 April 1988) was an inorganic chemist, scientist. So, even if he didn't necessarily speak about that, did he say any notable things in his tapes? Also, his attempts to establish a industrial safety system authority made him a darling to no one in science. All because, it seems, he wants a promotion. "What is the cost of lies?" This question, posed by scientist Valery Legasov (Jared Harris) opens HBO's Chernobyl and is the central focus of this television event.The series (created/written by Craig Mazin, directed by Johan Renck) follows the efforts of Legasov, Boris Shcherbina (Stellan Skrsgard), and Ulana Khomyuk (Emily Watson) to respond to the . David R. Marples has suggested the adversity of the Chernobyl disaster on his psychological state was the factor leading to his decision to take his own life[6] and that Legasov had become bitterly disillusioned with the failure of the authorities to confront the design flaws. 2023 The Thought & Expression Company, LLC. This is not a good thing. He was a physical scientist who determined what caused the Chernobyl disaster. (Its English title, depending on the translation, is Voices from Chernobyl or Chernobyl Prayer.) The reason, she said, was that none of her interlocutorspeople who lived in the area affected by the disasterknew how they were supposed to talk about it. And you, chemists, are now making him almost a great martyr And in Chernobyl he screwed up enough - the shelter of the fourth unit turned out to be far from optimal. "[11], While the initial Soviet investigation put almost all the blame on the operators, later findings by the IAEA found that the reactor design and how the operators were informed of safety information was more significant. This made some of his colleagues jealous, she adds. [5], In 1976, Legasov was elected a corresponding member of the Academy of Sciences of the Soviet Union. In fact, it wasnt the carrot of a single promotion, or even several promotions, and it wasnt one nasty and abusive boss. I would very much like to ask to make such a statement that, as of today, we do not have safe nuclear energy, or a concept of safe nuclear energy, or even a concept of a safe nuclear reactor that is completely ready[7], He had a lengthy stay in hospital during the fall of 1987, including experiencing acute appendicitis,[31] during which he attempted suicide. Pikalov (having driven around the exploded reactor with a high-range dosimeter): It's not three roentgen.It's 15,000. Here are some quotes for you to read about the Chernobyl incident as described in the series. Legasov flew to Chernobyl after the No. She also gets herself arrested and then immediately seated at a meeting on the disaster, led by Gorbachev. (Legasov closes his eyes in dismay) Bryukhanov: Comrade Shcherbina. Add to that his unpopularity among the younger scientists due to his meteoric rise in Soviet science and his questionable handling of the situation after the accident, and Legasov found himself being pushed back from all quarters. He burnt out. Shasharin, said that "The personnel had no idea . MOSCOW (AP) _ Valery A. Legasov, a physical chemist who led the commission the investigated the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, has died at the age of 51, the official Soviet news agency Tass announced. An episode with an academic hiding cassettes - propaganda fiction, like 80% of serial. The New Yorker may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. This is what I was passionately working on, mainly figuring out the dangers in sources of energy alternative to nuclear energy. Valery Alekseyevich Legasov (Russian: ; 1 September 1936 - 27 April 1988) was a Soviet and Russian inorganic chemist and a member of the Academy of Sciences of the Soviet Union.He is now mainly remembered for his work in containment of the Chernobyl disaster and presenting the investigation findings to the International Atomic Energy Agency . 1 / 9. Bryukhanov was accused of mismanagement and that operator error was the primary cause of the accident, while design flaws were also a factor. Despite his significant work, Valerys specialty wasnt in nuclear reactors. Everything he tried to do after Vienna was frustrated by his peers with a vengeance. A happily married father of two grown children, Valery Legasov was 49 years old at the time of the accident and approaching the pinnacle of his career at the top of the Soviet scientific . Legasov was 51 years old. Work was the man, almost the only meaning of his life. "No one leaves. Legasova, Valery was the one who ordered and organized the mass exodus of [7], Along with colleagues like Viktor Alekseyevich Sidorenko, Legasov became concerned about the quality of equipment, poor construction, the lack of training of operators and the lack of training simulators. I was filled with trust and respect for him Valery Alekseevich himself flew over the reactor by helicopter 5-6 times a day. 56 in Moscow and graduated with a gold medal. 1 mo. at last is the gift of Chernobyl. the people. Born in 1936 in Tula (173 km south of Moscow), Valery chose his career path early on. [7] From 1983 until his death, he worked as chair of the department of Radiochemistry and Chemical Technology at the Faculty of Chemistry at Moscow State University. We never see these pets through the eyes of their owners. Her baby lived for four hours after birth; she had apparently absorbed the radiation, saving her mothers life. He was 51. The answer is NO. The Belarusian scientist Ulyana Khomyuk (Emily Watson) is even more confrontational than Legasov. In a July 3 meeting of the Soviet politburo on the Chernobyl crisis, the Soviet deputy energy minister, G.A. ~ Valery Legasov. So, even if he didnt necessarily speak about that, did he say any notable things in his tapes? Where I once would fear the cost of truth, In fact, Legasov would have lived in an entirely different kind of squalor than the fireman did. about Valery, and some of his memorable quotes. . Take the series as entertainment but not fact, in a general sense its true to life but only the larger events, not necessarily the smaller details the accuracy of those is few and far between. After his death, radiation was found on his belongings. Top Valery Legasov Real Quotes The first of many autumn rains smelled smoky, like a doused campsite fire, as if the ground itself had been aflame during those hot summer months. He is now mainly remembered for his work as t. The first design mistake was that there should be at least two emergency protection systems, as required by international standards and as common sense suggests second emergency protection system must work independently, whatever the circumstances of the operator may be And finally, the third design mistake, which is hard to explain, was that all the numerous emergency protection systems were accessible to the station staff Of course, the mistakes made by the operators are well known and there is no need to list them yet again. Of course, that sentence is doubly unfair. They always do. work. Neither Tass nor the evening television news broadcast Vremya on Friday gave the cause or place of death. 1. Fewer young people joined. In his personal life, he composed poetry and encouraged its publication. In the early days of the series' production, actors auditioned with vaguely Eastern European accents. She is also a truth-seeker: she interviews dozens of people (some of them as they are dying of radiation exposure), digs up a scientific paper that has been censored, and figures out exactly what happened, minute by minute. Every lie we tell incurs a debt to the truth. We hardly see any of the evacuees at all, and we are given only one indication that some people resisted and refused to leave: an old woman who, at the beginning of Episode 4, obstinately continues milking her cow after she is repeatedly ordered to move. He was also concerned at the lack of safety literature distributed to the population. [37], On 20 September 1996, Russian president Boris Yeltsin posthumously conferred on Legasov the honorary title of Hero of the Russian Federation, the country's highest honorary title, for the "courage and heroism" shown in his investigation of the disaster. [5] The proposals triggered a significant backlash from the existing scientific leadership. When one looks at the chain of events, why someone acted in this way and another in that way and so on, it is impossible to point to a single culprit, an initiator of all the unpleasant events that led to the crime. Obviously " you'll be begging for that bullet by the morning" And along those lines of how quickly death would arrive. Ad Choices, Putin and Trumps Ominous Nostalgia for the Second World War. And this part is tragic, confusing and incomprehensible. Yu. By and large, Soviet people did what they were told without being threatened with guns or any punishment. The New Yorker Interview with David Remnick. He came to the conclusion that the explosion was a result of a number of factors, including the reactors constructive flaws and human factor - the staff was unaware of the flaws and that the tests they had carried out could have provoked an explosion. The engagement ring hasnt always been what it is today. [1] He also considered the possibility of ground water contamination to be extremely low, but precautionary work was initiated to cool the reactor using an underground system. Ignatenkos monologue in Alexievichs book is some of the most memorable reading I have ever done. and the parade took place just days after the explosion. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Cond Nast. The series actually makes use of one of the stories in her book: the story of Lyudmilla Ignatenko (Jessie Buckley), who broke the rules by staying with her firefighter husband in the hospital until he died, even though she was pregnant. - His suicide made it impossible for them to be ignored. Even the house pets left in the exclusion zone after people are evacuated are shown through the eyes of men who are sent there to execute them.
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