Chernousenko's "Chernobyl" is a first-hand account of the
events and facts surrounding this global disaster: The first
part of the book includes an absoring account of what
happened at Chernobyl nuclear power station on April 26,
1986, as well as a review of the rectification measures
taken so far. The author re-analyzes the causes of the
accident, confronting us with startling details about
critical design faults in the (RBMK) reactors of the
Chernobyl type. - The second part deals with the long-range
and long-term effects of the catastrophe on man and
environment, including a wealth of yet unpublished data
along with proposals for future action. - Physicist Vladimir
Chernousenko is eminently qualified to write on this topic:
In 1986 he was appointed representative of the Ukrainian
Academy of Sciences in Chernobyl and the "Zone". He worked
in the so-called Special Zone (10-km radius around the
reactor) where he received large radiation doses. He was
co-author of the internal Government Report for President
Gorbachev and the Supreme Soviet. Until 1991 he was
scientificdirector of the 30-km exclusion zone. - This book
is a vital step towards establishing the truth about the
causes of the accident and - even more important - the
actual scale of its aftermath. It provides the specialist
with the scientific and medical data needed for further
investigation and for designing effective countermeasures,
whilethe lay reader will profit most from the absorbing
accounts and personal statements of eyewitnesses and other
people directly affected by the catastrophe. - A unique
collection of photographs adds further poignancy to the
written descriptions. Appendices are added to explain the
most important technical terms for the non-specialist and to
provide technical details for the specialist. The book is
of equal interest to natural scientists, medics and
interested laypersons.

Photographs by: A.I. Salmychin
Translated by: J.G. Hine
Contributions by: N. Aristov