“[The Kremlin, Moscow: Legasov and Ulana Khomyuk explain the consequences of a nuclear meltdown with full water tanks] Ulana Khomyuk: When the lava enters these tanks, it will instantly superheat and vaporize approximately 7,000 cubic meters of water, causing a significant thermal explosion.…”Tagged: Chernobyl, Nuclear Reactors, Uranium, Fission, U-235
“[Legasov and Shcherbina faces incredulous workers as they ask for volunteers in a suicidal mission to open the sluice gate valve] You'll do it because nobody else can. And if you don't, millions will die. If you tell me that's not enough I won't believe you. This is what has always set our people…”Tagged: Chernobyl, Nuclear Reactors, Uranium, Fission, U-235
“[Polissya hotel, Pripyat: Helicopters dropping sand and boron to extinguish the fire in the Chernobyl plant] Shcherbina: It's been smooth. Twenty drops. [notices Legasov's expression] What? Legasov: There are fifty thousand people in this city. Shcherbina: Professor Ilyin, who's also on the…”Tagged: Chernobyl, Nuclear Reactors, Uranium, Fission, U-235
“[Inside a military jeep, as Fomin and Bryukhanov prepare to meet Shcherbina...] Fomin: It's overkill. Pikalov's showing off to make us look bad. Bryukhanov: It doesn't matter how it looks. Shcherbina is a pure bureaucrat, as stupid as he is pigheaded. We'll tell him the truth in the simplest terms…”Tagged: Chernobyl, Nuclear Reactors, Uranium, Fission, U-235
“[Colonel General Pikalov returns from the testing to give his report] Pikalov: It's not three roentgen. It's 15,000. Bryukhanov: Comrade Shcherbina— Shcherbina: [Turns to Legasov] What does that number mean? Legasov: It means the core is open. It means the fire we're watching with our own eyes is…”Tagged: Chernobyl, Nuclear Reactors, Uranium, Fission, U-235
“[As Valery Legasov and Boris Shcherbina make their way to Chernobyl in a helicopter...] Boris Shcherbina: How does a nuclear reactor work? Valery Legasov: What? Shcherbina: It's a simple question. Legasov: It's hardly a simple answer. Shcherbina: Of course, you presume I'm too stupid to understand.…”Tagged: Chernobyl, Nuclear Reactors, Uranium, Fission, U-235
“[Legasov and Shcherbina's helicopter approaches the Chernobyl plant] Legasov: [Sees the reactor, horrified] What have they done? Shcherbina: Can you see inside? Legasov: I don't have to. Look. That's graphite on the roof. The whole building's been blown open. The core's exposed! Shcherbina: I can't…”Tagged: Chernobyl, Nuclear Reactors, Uranium, Fission, U-235
“[The Kremlin, Moscow: Valery Legasov enters the room with General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev and Deputy Chairman Boris Shcherbina] Mikhail Gorbachev: Thank you all for your duty to this commission. We will begin with Deputy Chairman Shcherbina's briefing, and then we will discuss next steps if…”Tagged: Chernobyl, Nuclear Reactors, Comrade, Uranium
“[Meeting of the plant's executive committee] Zharkov: I wonder how many of you know the name of this place. We all call it ‘Chernobyl’, of course. What is its real name? Viktor Bryukhanov: The Vladimir I. Lenin Nuclear Power Station. Zharkov: Exactly. Vladimir I. Lenin. [points to the image of Lenin…”Tagged: Lenin, Nuclear Power, Chernobyl
“[Ending scene: As Legasov is driven away from Chernobyl by the KGB, his voice on tape is heard] To be a scientist is to be naive. We are so focused on our search for truth, we fail to consider how few actually want us to find it. But it is always there, whether we see it or not, whether we choose to…”Tagged: Chernobyl, Scientist, Lies, Naive
“[Legasov is arrested by the KGB for refusing to toe the party line and is led to a private interrogation room] Charkov: [reads file] Valery Alexeyevich Legasov, son of Alexei Legasov, Head of Ideological Compliance, Central Committee. Do you know what your father did there? Legasov: Yes. Charkov: As…”Tagged: Chernobyl, Communist Youth, Communist Party, Vienna
“[As the courtroom is at a recess, Legasov meets with Shcherbina outside] Shcherbina: [Coughing] Do you know anything about this town, Chernobyl? Legasov: Not really, no. Shcherbina: It was mostly Jews and Poles. The Jews were killed in pogroms, and Stalin forced the Poles out. And then the Nazis…”Tagged: Chernobyl, Jews, Poles, Pogroms
“[April 26, 1988: Alone in his apartment in Moscow, Professor Valery Legasov replays his voice on a tape recorder] What is the cost of lies? It's not that we'll mistake them for the truth. The real danger is that if we hear enough lies, then we no longer recognize the truth at all. What can we do…”Tagged: Chernobyl, Anatoly Dyatlov, Labor Camps, Prison
“Bryukhanov: I take it the safety test was a failure? Anatoly Dyatlov: We have the situation under control. Fomin: Under control? It doesn't look like it's under control. Bryukhanov: Shut up, Fomin. I have to tell the Central Committee about this. Do you realize that? I have to get on the phone and…”Tagged: Nuclear Meltdown, Radiation, Chernobyl
“[April 26, 1986: Immediately after the explosion, deputy chief engineer Anatoly Dyatlov stands shocked as shift supervisor Aleksandr Akimov calls his name repeatedly and alarms blare] Aleksandr Akimov: Comrade Dyatlov? Comrade Dyatlov?! Anatoly Dyatlov: What just happened? Leonid Toptunov: I don't…”Tagged: Chernobyl, Hydrogen, Emergency
“[April 26, 1986: Meeting in the power plant office, engineer Anatoly Sitnikov reports high radiation in reactor 4] Dyatlov: What's wrong with you? How'd you get that number from feedwater leaking from a blown tank? Anatoly Sitnikov: You don't. Dyatlov: Then what the fuck are you talking about?…”Tagged: Chernobyl, Hydrogen, Emergency, Nuclear Meltdown