AP Was There: Early Chernobyl victims buried in Moscow cemetery
AP News • • world
Key Points:
- In the weeks following the April 26, 1986, Chernobyl nuclear disaster, information was scarce, but journalists discovered 23 unmarked graves at Mitinskoye Cemetery in Moscow, believed to be victims of the accident.
- Six graves bear the names of firefighters who died from radiation exposure, with more deaths expected as indicated by empty grave spaces and ongoing burials.
- Soviet officials had last reported 26 deaths by June 5, including immediate casualties from the explosion, but medical experts warned more fatalities could occur among those seriously ill from radiation sickness.
- Cemetery workers and officials restricted access to the graves, requiring special permission for visits and prohibiting note-taking or photography, reflecting tight control over information related to the disaster.
- The victims, many young firefighters, were buried in Moscow since evacuation zones around the plant prevented burials near the accident site, and a monument is planned to honor those who died.
