Pripyat

Early years

Panoramic view of Pripyat in May 2009

View of the Chernobyl power plant including 2003 radioactive level of 0.763 milliroentgens per hour

Access to Pripyat, unlike cities of military importance, was not restricted before the disaster, as the Soviet Union deemed nuclear power stations safer than other types of power plants. Nuclear power stations were presented as achievements of Soviet engineering, harnessing nuclear power for peaceful projects. The slogan "peaceful atom" (Russian: мирный атом, romanized: mirnyy atom) was popular during those times. The original plan had been to build the plant only 25 km (16 mi) from Kyiv, but the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences, among other bodies, expressed concern that would be too close to the city. As a result, the power station and Pripyat[1] were built at their current locations, about 100 km (62 mi) from Kyiv. After the disaster, the city of Pripyat was evacuated in two days.[2]

A panorama of Pripyat during summer. The Chernobyl power plant, currently undergoing decommissioning, is visible in the distance, at top center.

Post-Chernobyl disaster

Pripyat amusement park, as seen from the City Center Gymnasium

Aerial view of Pripyat

The Azure Swimming Pool was still in use by liquidators in 1996, a decade after the Chernobyl incident.

In 2009, over two decades after the Chernobyl incident, the Azure Swimming Pool shows decay after years of disuse.

In 1986, the city of Slavutych was constructed to replace Pripyat. After the city of Chernobyl, this was the second-largest city for accommodating power plant workers and scientists in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).

One notable landmark often featured in photographs in the city and visible from aerial-imaging websites is the long-abandoned Ferris wheel located in the Pripyat amusement park, which had been scheduled to have its official opening five days after the disaster, in time for May Day celebrations.[3][4] The Azure Swimming Pool and Avanhard Stadium are two other popular tourist sites.

On 4 February 2020, former residents of Pripyat gathered in the abandoned city to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Pripyat's establishment. This was the first time former residents returned to the city since its abandonment in 1986.[5]

The 2020 Chernobyl Exclusion Zone wildfires reached the outskirts of the town, but they did not reach the plant.[citation needed]

During the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, the city was occupied by Russian forces during the Battle of Chernobyl after several hours of heavy fighting.[6] On 31 March 2022, Russian troops withdrew from the plant and other parts of Kyiv Oblast.[7][8] On 3 April 2022, Ukrainian troops took control of Pripyat again.[9][10]

^ "History of the Pripyat city creation". chornobyl.in.ua. Archived from the original on 22 July 2011. Retrieved 2 December 2014. ^ Anastasia. "dirjournal.com". Info Blog. Archived from the original on 17 November 2014. Retrieved 2 December 2014. ^ Hjelmgaard, Kim (17 April 2016). "Pillaged and peeling, radiation-ravaged Pripyat welcomes 'extreme' tourists". USA Today. Archived from the original on 29 April 2020. Retrieved 27 March 2019. ^ Gais, Hannah; Steinberg, Eugene (26 April 2016). "Chernobyl in Spring". Pacific Standard. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 27 March 2019. ^ LEE, PHOTOS BY ASSOCIATED PRESS, EDITED BY AMANDA (4 February 2020). "AP Gallery: Chernobyl town Pripyat celebrates 50th anniversary". Columbia Missourian. Archived from the original on 24 November 2020. Retrieved 24 August 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) ^ "Fighting breaks out near Chernobyl, says Ukrainian president". The Independent. 24 February 2022. Archived from the original on 24 February 2022. Retrieved 24 February 2022. ^ "Russia Hands Control of Chernobyl Back to Ukraine, Officials Say". Wall Street Journal. 31 March 2022. Archived from the original on 3 April 2022. Retrieved 2 April 2022. ^ Ukrainian flag was raised at the Chornobyl nuclear power plant Archived 2 April 2022 at the Wayback Machine, Ukrainska Pravda (2 April 2022) ^ Kyiv region: Ukrainian military take control of Pripyat and section of border Archived 25 June 2022 at the Wayback Machine, Ukrainska Pravda (3 April 2022) ^ "Ukrainian forces regain control of Pripyat, the ghost town near the Chernobyl nuclear plant". 3 April 2022. Archived from the original on 3 April 2022. Retrieved 3 April 2022.