Chernobyl Liquidator
체르노빌 청산인
The official Soviet term for the approximately 526,000–600,000 military personnel, firefighters, scientists, and workers mobilized to contain the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster and decontaminate the affected zone. Liquidators carried out firefighting, radioactive debris removal, construction of the sarcophagus, and decontamination of vast territories, with many receiving high radiation doses. The euphemism derives from the Soviet designation 'participant in the liquidation of the consequences of the Chernobyl NPP accident,' and survivors are recognized with veteran-like social benefits across former Soviet states.
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Sources
- Wikipedia (EN) Definition, scale (~526,250–600,000 personnel), roles, health effects, and legacy of the Chernobyl liquidators.
- Wikipedia (RU) Russian-language article: official definition, list of first responders and casualties, categories of liquidators (firefighters, military, medical, miners, helicopter pilots, construction workers), and health statistics.
- unscear.org UNSCEAR assessment: 530,000 registered recovery operation workers, average dose 120 mSv, and ongoing health follow-up.