Alexei Ananenko, Valery Bezpalov, and Boris Barano entered the radioactive depths of Chernobyl in Soviet union to prevent more catastrophic steam explosions and more ramifications that could have followed the known nuclear Chernobyl disaster and rendered half of europe inhabitable. Contrary to some reports that they died soon after the mission, all three men survived the immediate aftermath of the radiation.
The soviet union at the time downplayed the events and much information remains classified.
Approximately 600,000 to 800,000 people , called liquidators, were involved in the cleanup operations from 1986 to 1989. These included firefighters, military personnel, scientists, medical staff, and civilians. The equipment available at the time was often insufficient to fully protect them.A significant number of them suffered from radiation related health issues, and many have died prematurely as a result of their exposure.
