Le sacrifice

On the night of 26 April 1986 and during the months which followed, one million men - called “liquidators” - were thrown into action. Under terrifyingly radioactive conditions their task was to cover the fiery nuclear reactor at Chernobyl with an improvised sarcophagus and to eradicate the consequences of the catastrophe throughout the territories. They combatted radionuclides with their bare hands, with shovels and with water hoses. Tens of thousands died and are still dying.