From the KGB archive: “On the situation at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant and in the 30-kilometer zone”

The KGB Directorate for the city of Kiev and the Kiev region takes the necessary measures to ensure reliable control over the situation at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant and in the 30-kilometer zone, timely detection of negative manifestations among plant employees, employees of enterprises and organizations involved in the aftermath of the accident.

“March 1987… The radiation situation at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant and in the exclusion zone has not changed significantly and is characterized by the following data. Gamma background levels are: in the premises of 1 and 2 power units, in the administrative building – 0.08-2.4 mr / h, at the 3 power unit – 1-600 mr / h, in the station – 1.5-140 mr / hour, in the city of Pripyat – 0.2-3 mr / hour, in the city of Chernobyl – 0.05-1 mr / hour.

Despite the measures taken for additional cleaning, the level of gamma background on the roof of unit 3 is up to 2000 mr / h. Monitoring the status of the damaged 4th power unit is carried out using the information and diagnostic complex. The physical characteristics of the state of the unit are quite stable, a decrease is noted in reactor temperature.

Units of the USSR Ministry of Defense, organizations of the Ministry of Energy and the Ministry of Atomic Energy of the USSR continue to decontaminate the 3rd power unit and prepare it for start-up, adjacent territory, and conservation of the “red forest”.

827 out of 1108 rooms of the 3rd power unit are deactivated. A decision has been made and technical preparation is being carried out for dismantling the roof of the engine and reaction rooms of this unit. The most difficult thing is to decontaminate equipment. In accordance with the recommendations of specialists, the embankment of the “red forest” was completed, after which felling of trees will be carried out, followed by backfilling them with a layer of soil up to 1 meter thick, which will reduce the level of gamma background by 10-15 times.

Spring flood is a real threat

At the direction of the government commission, the employees of the USSR Hydrometeorology Committee, the USSR Ministry of Water Economy, the USSR Academy of Sciences and the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences conducted a study of the effect of high water on possible additional pollution of the Dnieper and Pripyat river basins with radionuclides.

According to experts, a significant part of meltwater, together with radionuclides, will go into the ground due to the deficit of moisture that occurred in the autumn period. Protective structures on small rivers should ensure the retention of up to 50% of the isotopes contained in the water.

The condition of the dam of the cooling pond is of the greatest concern, for the strengthening of which a reserve of gravel and other materials is being created. A system of drainage wells has been equipped around the perimeter of the cooling pond, followed by pumping of groundwater into the pond. Given the effectiveness of the measures taken, a significant increase in water activity in the basin of the Kiev reservoir is not expected.

Moral and political situation is on the control

The moral and political situation in the teams of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, Production Association Combine, organizations involved in the aftermath of the accident, and military construction units is generally normal.

According to our information, the station management has planned a series of organizational and political events in collectives in connection with the approaching anniversary of the accident. 32 people quit the company (mainly women) after the transition from March 15 to the new payment system.

There is a massive influx for the employment of residents from various regions of the country. The most actively discussed by the staff is the problem of permanent residence in Kiev, subject to the receipt of the maximum permissible dose and dismissal from work or in case of unwillingness to move to a permanent place in the city of Slavutich.

According to the USSR Ministry of Health, the medical status of station workers is assessed as satisfactory, the most common diseases associated with disorders of the nervous system, which cause some concern due to the fact that the nature of the work requires great nervous overloads.

At present, more than 200 NPP employees have been established for whom the dose load during the year, taking into account previously received doses, should not exceed 1.2-2.8 rem. New standards for external exposure were determined by a decision of the USSR Ministry of Health for workers engaged in the operation of 1, 2 and 3 power units in the construction of phase – 5 rem, persons engaged in the decontamination of 3 power units – up to 10 rem.

External exposure to 25 rem is allowed in exceptional cases, with the permission of the USSR Ministry of Health. We continue to monitor the situation. We inform you for information purposes”.

On the response of foreign correspondents to the trial in Chernobyl

In connection with the start of the trial of the perpetrators of the Chernobyl accident, we inform you that on July 7 there were 10 foreign correspondents from the United States, Japan, France, Italy, and a number of other countries of the socialist camp. Jeremy, a BBC correspondent, notes in a message sent to London:

“This court, with the presence of Western correspondents, is fully consistent with the Soviet policy proclaimed by Gorbachev, aimed at a more open approach to the realities of Soviet life, and is a further reflection of this process … The Soviet authorities are really striving to bring to the public everything about this accident…”

Reporting on the upcoming hearing of more than 50 witnesses, he suggested that “perhaps their testimony would be a crushing challenge for a policy of transparency”. The further course of the trial will be covered only by Soviet correspondents, so he expressed doubt about the completeness in the press of all its details.

Dalbert, a representative of the AP agency, USA, emphasizes in his correspondence: “The indictment contains numerous references to flagrant violations of the safety rules of the Chernobyl NPP.

The trial, which began more than 14 months after the accident, takes place in an environment whose spirit is closely linked with the spirit of the campaign now being conducted by the Soviet leadership – the responsibility of leading officials for their work. Gorbachev seeks to make bureaucrats at all levels responsible for the incompetence that led to the accident”.

Other Western correspondents draw attention to the fact that the defendants Brukhanov, Fomin and Dyatlov do not plead guilty on a number of points to the charges against them.

Noting the seriousness of the consequences of the Chernobyl accident, they are trying to predict whether all the responsibility will be assigned to those who appear before the court, or whether wider liability problems will be brought up that show the whole world the danger inherent in the “peaceful atom”.

In connection with the legal process that has begun, the KGB authorities have taken additional measures to monitor the operational situation in the republic. It is reported for information purposes.