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Haunted Hallways: Chernobyl Engineers Revisit The Doomed Reactor

April 26, 2018, marks 32 years since the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine. Three former Chernobyl engineers returned to their workplace in 2016, accompanied by RFE/RL journalists. For Arcadia Uskova and Oleksiy Breusa, it was not their first visit back. For Oleksandr Cheranov, however, the visit marked the first time he had stood inside the power plant since April 26, 1986, when the fourth block of the reactor was destroyed in the world's worst civilian nuclear disaster.

(Originally published on April 22, 2016)
The three men revisited the control room of the third block 30 years after the meltdown.
1 The three men revisited the control room of the third block 30 years after the meltdown.
The control room of the third block of the Chernobyl nuclear plant
2 The control room of the third block of the Chernobyl nuclear plant
The so-called “Golden Corridor" at the Chernobyl nuclear plant connected all of the power stations. This corridor used to lead to the fourth reactor.
3 The so-called “Golden Corridor" at the Chernobyl nuclear plant connected all of the power stations. This corridor used to lead to the fourth reactor.
This panel monitored the reactor's core.
4 This panel monitored the reactor's core.
Oleksandr Cheranov stands in the control room for the first time in 30 years.
5 Oleksandr Cheranov stands in the control room for the first time in 30 years.
The phone used for communication between staff in the control room and the senior engineer
6 The phone used for communication between staff in the control room and the senior engineer
The workplace of the senior engineer control unit
7 The workplace of the senior engineer control unit
Arcadia Uskova worked in the first unit at Chernobyl. On April 26, he was summoned to help colleagues in the fourth unit. 
8 Arcadia Uskova worked in the first unit at Chernobyl. On April 26, he was summoned to help colleagues in the fourth unit. 
The monitor allowed workers to watch the situation in the block offices.
9 The monitor allowed workers to watch the situation in the block offices.
Oleksiy Breusa worked as a senior engineer in the control unit.
10 Oleksiy Breusa worked as a senior engineer in the control unit.
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