In Vitebsk, the memory of those who died in the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident was honored
The explosion at the nuclear power plant occurred on the night of April 26, 1986, due to fatal errors during testing. The IAEA assigned the Chernobyl accident the maximum nuclear event level of 7. On the 33rd anniversary of the largest man-made disaster in human history, dozens of Vitebsk residents gathered in the Holy Assumption Cathedral to honor the memory of its victims.
The rally was attended by the leadership of the region and the city, representatives of labor collectives, public organizations, youth, as well as Chernobyl liquidators. Those present were reminded of Vitebsk region's contribution to the heroic struggle with the consequences of the disaster. About 3,000 residents of the Dvina region worked at the explosion site, and over 1,500 displaced persons found shelter and work in our region.
— Chernobyl became a synonym for grief and death for the whole world, and especially for Belarusians, — said Vladimir Beleevich, Chairman of the City Council of Deputies. — After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the authorities of sovereign Belarus spent huge funds on the recovery of the affected and the cleanup of contaminated lands.
Participants in the localization of the Chernobyl NPP accident shared their memories.
— After the accident, a state of emergency was introduced, as in wartime. Rescuers, police officers, servicemen, specialists from various departments, sacrificing their health and lives, did everything possible from the first days to protect their compatriots and the country from even greater damage, — reported retired Lieutenant Colonel of the Internal Service Sergey Artyukhovsky.
Yevgeny Provotolotsky, an infectious disease specialist at City Polyclinic No. 2, not only provided medical assistance to the victims in the exclusion zone but also conducted explanatory work.
— Many didn't understand why they couldn't drink milk from their own cow, why they had to leave their hometowns? — said Evgeny Petrovich. — We had to explain, to persuade them to leave their hometowns affected by radiation.
The memory of the deceased was honored with a minute of silence, and candles were lit in their honor. Priests performed a litany for the victims of Chernobyl.
