30 years before Chornobyl: how the first nuclear disaster in the USSR happened, which was traditionally hidden

Nuclear energy has always evoked mixed feelings. On the one hand, it is a symbol of progress and scientific achievements, and on the other hand, it is a source of potential threats to humanity.

The 1986 Chornobyl disaster left a deep mark on history, but not everyone knows that it was not the first nuclear accident in the USSR. OBOZ.UA tells about a little-known incident, the Kyshtym accident.

In 1957, an accident occurred at the Mayak plant in the Chelyabinsk region, which also had serious consequences for the environment and human health. However, as was typical for the Soviet Union, information about the tragedy was carefully concealed until 1989, and the scale of the disaster remained unknown to the general public for many years.

Kyshtym accident: background and causes of the disaster

The Mayak plant, located in the closed city of Chelyabinsk-40, was one of the key facilities of the nuclear program. It was engaged in the production of weapons-grade plutonium-239, which was used to create the first Soviet atomic bomb.

Due to the haste in which the plant was built, the equipment was unsuitable for working with atomic substances, and the personnel did not have sufficient protective equipment. Under such conditions, it is not surprising that safety and environmental protection were often neglected.

Initially, all of the plant's waste was dumped into the Techa River, but later it became clear that the environmental impact of radiation was becoming unbearable. It was decided to isolate the lakes and direct the waste to the Karachai drainless reservoir.

Subsequently, in 1953, a complex of 20 nuclear waste storage containers, known as "canisters," located underground and cooled by circulating ice water, began operating at the plant. However, the cooling system quickly failed, leading to overheating and an explosion of one of the canisters on September 29, 1957.

Response to the accident and its consequences

On September 29, 1957, at 16:22 local time, an explosion occurred at the Mayak plant. It was so powerful that a 160-ton concrete slab covering a container was thrown 25 meters away.

At first, the residents of Chelyabinsk-40 did not pay attention to this, as explosions at the plant were a common occurrence due to ongoing construction work. However, a few hours later, crimson glows appeared over the city, which caused concern.

The accident released 20 million curies of radioactive substances into the atmosphere. Most of the radiation settled on the plant's territory, but a significant portion spread over thousands of square kilometers.

However, despite the danger, the plant continued to operate the next day. However, the area around the plant remains dangerous even now. In addition, the evacuation of the most affected villages began only a few days later, when residents had already received significant doses of radiation.

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