Chernobyl Responder Reflects on Surviving 40 Years Post-Nuclear Disaster

Petro Hurin, a man who has been grappling with poor health for four decades, was among hundreds of thousands of ‘liquidators’ sent to clean up after the 1986 nuclear disaster at Chornobyl’s reactor four in Ukraine. The explosion released radioactive material across much of Europe, leading to immediate deaths and long-term radiation-related illnesses such as cancer.

Of the 40 people Hurin’s company sent to the site in June 1986, only five remain today. He recalls that “not a single Chornobyl person is in good health,” describing it as ‘death by a thousand cuts’. Soviet authorities tried to hide the extent of the disaster, continuing with events like the May 1 parade.

Hurin worked for 12-hour shifts, loading concrete mixed with lead onto trucks for transport to the reactor. Symptoms such as headaches, chest pain, bleeding, and a metallic taste in his throat began after four days. Soviet doctors initially refused to diagnose radiation sickness, instead attributing it to vegetative-vascular dystonia.

Post-disaster, Hurin spent around seven months visiting hospitals, receiving treatment including a blood transfusion. He has since been diagnosed with anaemia, angina, pancreatitis, and other conditions. Despite his health issues, he continues playing the accordion and writing songs.

Now retired in Cherkasy region, Ukraine, Hurin is fighting for a special disability pension for ‘liquidators’. His grandson Andrii Vorobkalo, killed in the 2022 war, remains a constant source of inspiration.