Together!

Abstract

Sympathy, attention, anxiety, curiosity, and alas, even malicious pleasure can be seen in the eyes from various parts of the world focused on the Chernobyl Atomic Electric-Power Plant [AEPP]. Our friends are alarmed and share our misfortune. Our enemies try to amuse themselves with the hope that things will turn out badly for us. Everyone is interested in knowing why and how it happened. To be sure, this interest is also variously motivated. While specialists are trying to determine the technical causes of the accident, those alien to us in spirit and conviction are feverishly searching for an explanation not only (and not so much) for what happened as for what is happening: their hopes are being dashed, their predictions are falling apart at the seams-catastrophe was averted, a tornado of panic did not sweep our people away nor empty our cities. And Chernobyl itself, as reported from the epicenter of events by Valentina Mikhailovna Kalinchenko, a courageous woman who never left her post at the AEPP headquarters from the very first days, our Chernobyl is alive, is working, is functioning, and even smiles at the sun.